


Collected

by Hannah_BWTM



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Bad Decisions, Brightwell, Case Fic, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Kidnapping, Murder Mystery, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:08:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 41,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24181099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hannah_BWTM/pseuds/Hannah_BWTM
Summary: Dani and Malcolm find themselves in trouble after coming to a mysterious man's attention while solving a murder in Riverside Park. He doesn't want to hurt them, no he has a very different plan in store for them. JT, Gil and Jess work out a way to find out where they've been taken and save them before they disappear forever.A standalone case fic which starts off with a little Brightwell for all you shippers out there, taking place around the 1x13 timeframe.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright/Dani Powell
Comments: 49
Kudos: 64





	1. Brightwell can't catch a break

“Well, this isn’t how I imagined birthday drinks working out.” 

Malcolm looks over at Dani and receives an eye roll in return. 

“The next time you see some fancy lighting in a bar we are walking past it.” Dani fusses with her slicked back hair and stares around the small room they’ve both been trapped in for a day, two days maybe. The soundproofing and lack of windows made it difficult to guess the exact time, but Dani makes a guess based on Malcolm’s longer than five o’clock shadow that is currently growing out of his chin. She looks down at the outfit that has been selected for her and gets self-conscious all over again. The black patent leather corset is tight against her ribs, sheer stockings and knickers are the only thing covering her legs and while she didn’t mind the garnet red colour of the low cut robe snug against her frame she just wished there was more of it. The robe was cut to expose almost her entire torso, cinching at the waist and highlighting one long leg through a rather large slit. She’d kept the shoes off at this point, they were so tall she knew that the less time she spent walking in them the less likely she was to fall over. In other circumstances Malcolm would have been thrilled to have this view all to himself, but this wasn’t a fun Saturday night, this was far more serious. 

“We’ll figure a way to get out of this Dani, we just need to wait for a shot.” 

“Well how’s that worked out for us so far?!” Dani did have a point. They’d tried their combined strength to rush the door and they had failed miserably, so here they were wearing clothes picked out for them and doing nothing but counting the seconds until the door opened again. Malcolm stood up from the bed he’d been sitting on and rolled his shoulders, trying to get comfortable in the leather harness he’d been directed to wear. The leather and buckles were unlike anything he’d worn before, the strapping across his shoulder blades far less forgiving than his usual night-time restraints. The harness was covered with a fitted tuxedo jacket and pants and he was barefoot, the powers that be decided that shoes and a shirt didn’t quite “make the outfit work”. Malcolm was no stranger to a tuxedo thanks to his mother’s regular trips to the ballet but the reason he was wearing this one put his teeth on edge. They needed to get out of this room and find out where they were being held if they had any chance of getting away. 

Dani started to pace the length of the room again and Malcolm held out an arm to catch her. She stopped and looked into his piercing blue eyes, the air thick with tension that wouldn’t dissipate. Her breathing was heavy with frustration and trepidation, yet in that moment all she wanted to do was close the gap between them again. Malcolm looked at Dani with the same longing and moved slowly towards her, angling his body to fit against hers and taking her face in his hand. They leaned in and shared a kiss that sent shivers through their bodies, a hunger suddenly ignited that required to be sated immediately. They moved towards Dani’s cot as one, Malcolm unbuttoning his jacket in the process so Dani’s hands could slide over his torso, roaming over the muscles and bone that very few people had seen in his lifetime. Dani went to unbutton his tuxedo pants when all of a sudden there was a loud click emanating from the door. 

Malcolm bolted upright and stood in front of Dani so she had enough time to collect herself before the door opened. The door was silent as it swung inward, the silhouette of a large bodyguard framing the doorway before he entered. Behind him was the man responsible for their captivity, a man in his 60’s trying to channel Tim Gunn from Project Runway but the excessive fake tan made him like a host from a late night QVC show. He sashayed into the room, suit in place and kerchief poking out prominently from his breast pocket, his hands holding what looked like a lead in one hand and a garage door remote in the other. Both knew what the remote was for, and disliked seeing its presence again. 

“My dears, how are we doing? Are you ready for your big entrance?” His eyes sparkled like a kid who was looking at presents on Christmas morning as they roamed over Dani and Malcolm, clearly pleased with the view. Dani and Malcolm stared stone faced at the man who had taken away their freedom, not wanting to play along any more than necessary. Malcolm broke the silence first, trying one more time to convince the Man to let them go. 

“You know who we are, you have to realise that people will be looking for us right? You should just let us go before our friends catch up with you.” 

The Man huffed in annoyance. “Look kitten we’ve been over this, I had a vacancy on my schedule and I was oh so lucky to find Ms Powell here to fill in.” He flashed another smile at Dani. “*You* were an unexpected bonus, and when everyone sees those eyes of yours I have no doubt that the trouble to keep you will be worth it too.” He reaches out for Malcolm’s face but he jerks back, not wanting to give this man the contact he so clearly craves. “Ah ah ah Mr Bright, remember last time?” The Man waggles the remote in his hand to prove a point, and without thinking Malcolm glances down to his ankle where the monitor is clasped. It was the reason they hadn’t rushed the door this time so Malcolm stills, closes his eyes and waits for this moment to be over. He feels the man’s hand on his face and starts to rattle off bone names in his head to distract himself when he hears a click. He looks down to find that the Man has attached the lead to a ring in the front of the harness he’s wearing. Malcolm looks up in surprise, wondering what game this is supposed to be. 

“Okay my dears, let’s get this show on the road. Madame?” The man points to the stilettos next to Dani’s feet and she sighs while she starts to strap them on. “Excellent, excellent. Now we’re taking a short walk, you’ll be on your best behaviour, yes?” Malcolm and Dani both look at each other remembering the plan. They’d agreed to use their first opportunity to do reconnaissance on where they were being held, a plan would be formulated later once they had more information to go on than the locked room they’d been holed up in. Dani nodded and replied in the affirmative, as did Malcolm. A wide smile broke out on the Man’s face, the excitement coming off him in waves. “Wonderful. Alright then, come along.” The Man handed Dani the lead attached to Malcolm’s harness and she held it awkwardly in her hand, confused as to this latest turn of events. 

“What’s the problem my dear?” The Man was getting impatient. 

“Ummm, what am I supposed to do with this?” Dani decided to play dumb. 

“You hold it my dear, remember we have a Story. To. Sell. Tonight.” He clapped with each word at the end of his sentence for emphasis with that brilliant too-white smile and it took all of Dani’s strength not to cringe. 

“Dani, it’s fine, we’re just walking okay? We’d be this close normally right?” Malcolm was trying to calm her down, and as she looked into his eyes she could see that he was right. The distance between them was no different than it would be at work, so that is how she’d reconcile it. 

“Okay.” 

And so they walked out of the room following the Man, his mammoth guard following behind them ensuring the proper pace was maintained. Their captor had a spring in his step as they walked through a dark open room with one wall lined entirely by mirrors. Malcolm wondered if it was an abandoned dance studio, nobody in their right mind would fit out a wall full of mirrors by choice. They stopped in front of the wall of mirrors and just as Malcolm and Dani thought that this guy had lost the plot one of the mirror panels swung outward to reveal a corridor leading to what looked like an adjacent building. The Man turned one last time positively beaming and told them something that made their stomachs drop all over again.

“Alright you two, let’s see if we can’t find you a new home.”

*************************************************************************************************

3 Days Earlier…..

A crisp morning announced the arrival of Spring in Manhattan, and as he turned up the collar of his coat to protect himself from a cool breeze Malcolm stared up at the foliage on the trees and thought to himself that he really needed to look up more often and appreciate the beauty of the city he grew up in. He was walking along the Hudson in Riverside Park, coffee in hand and searching for a gathering that would seem out of place this early in the morning. After a few more minutes walking he spots a throng of people about fifty feet off the main path and heads over, Gil’s trademark goatee, turtleneck and jacket combo unmissable with all the unis securing the area. JT and Dani are by his side and their focus appears to be something on the opposite side of a large tree standing between him and the team. Malcolm’s heart flutters a little at the sight of Dani but he reminds himself that theirs is a strictly professional relationship despite how he may feel and pushes the flutter in his chest down to focus on the job at hand. 

“What’ve you got for me?” 

“What, no good morning?” Gil looks up and smirks at the chipper profiler. Malcolm stops in his tracks and starts again. 

“Morning Gil, what’ve you got for me?” 

“Single victim, called in about an hour ago by a jogger.”

Malcolm rounds the tree and can see the body of a woman laid at the bottom of the trunk, away from obvious view of any park patrons. The African American woman in her late twenties, maybe early thirties has been placed on her side like she’s sleeping, wearing a loose button up shirt, cropped pants typical for the season but no shoes. Malcolm scans the body for any obvious clues to cause of death but can’t see anything obvious. “I can’t see any obvious signs of trauma, has Edrisa taken a look at the body yet?” 

“Are my ears burning? Hi Malcolm!” Dr Edrisa Tanaka breaks away from her crew and joins the rest of the Major Crimes team. Her smile is dazzling, as it always is when her favourite profiler makes an appearance at her crime scenes. “This is quite the thrill, one usually doesn’t get a mystery this juicy.” JT and Dani share a look that suggests they wouldn’t have used that turn of phrase for the scenario they find themselves in and Gil tries to refocus the conversation. 

“I’m not looking for a mystery Edrisa, I need a lead we can track down.”

“Right, sorry.” Edrisa adjusts her glasses and checks her notes before continuing “Body temperature suggests she was killed around 10pm last night. An examination of the body has failed to find a possible cause of death so any leads might have to wait until the autopsy.” 

“What do you mean no possible cause of death?” Malcom interrupted.

“I me-an there is no evidence of anything foreign entering the body, no blood pooling underneath the victim, no petechial hemorrhaging suggesting strangulation or injection sites. All we have been able to find is this odd shaped burn on her lower leg”. Edrisa slowly moves the victim’s right leg to reveal a vein-like burn on the inside of her leg just above the ankle. “I have no clue what it means.” Malcolm didn’t either so he filed the information away and asked his next question to the group. 

“How was the body found?” 

JT looks down at his notebook before answering. “A walker noticed her about an hour ago just as the sun was rising. He came over to help thinking that she’d had a rough night, fallen asleep and might have needed some help getting home. He called 911 when he couldn’t wake her, said he didn’t move her from her side.” Malcolm is studied for a moment, and when Gil thinks he’s had enough time he interrupts his reverie.

“Any thoughts Bright?” 

“Nothing concrete. The positioning of the body behind the tree as opposed to posing her on any of the nearby benches suggests that this wasn’t an act the killer wanted to put on display. Bragging didn’t come into this particular murder which eliminates a few unsavoury possibilities. Until we know more about the cause of death it’s going to be difficult to put together anything more solid than that.” Malcolm shrugs, wishing he had more but not wanting to speculate until he had more data to go on. 

Gil nods in agreement. “Alright then. We’ll have the body taken back to the precinct and call you when we get any leads.” Dani, JT why don’t you head over to the Parks office to see what CCTV they might have that we can look at?” 

“Sure thing Gil” Dani takes the lead and she and JT start to head down the hill. Malcolm wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to Dani just head so he makes an excuse and rushes after the two detectives. 

“Hey guys, wait up!”

“Surely you have something more interesting to do at 6am than follow us?” JT yelled over his shoulder, not slowing his pace one bit. 

“You know me Jose, I love the crisp morning air!” 

“Wrong again!”

Malcolm grins, makes up the distance between them quickly and falls into step with his fellow team members. They walk in silence for a while before Malcolm makes an awkward stab at conversation. 

“Sooo, is anyone planning on hitting the town tonight?” JT and Dani share a look. “What? Is that a hard question?” 

“No man, it’s just that we’re going out tonight for Tally’s birthday.” 

“It’s Tally’s birthday? Wonderful!” Malcolm claps excitedly “Are you taking her to Epicurean? Mother insists that the food there is to die for!” 

JT looks at Malcolm like he’s got three heads. “Epicurean isn’t what we had in mind tonight. We’re meeting at our local bar, just low key and casual.” 

“Well, that sounds great JT, just great. What about you, Dani? Anything filling up your dance card tonight?” 

“Uh, yeah. I’ll be at the bar with JT and Tally.” Dani looks slightly uncomfortable, not knowing whether Bright will be bothered about plans made without him. She can’t read his reaction. 

“Oh, great, that sounds like fun!” He looks out towards the river, not volunteering anything else. They walk along in silence for a while before JT takes a deep breath and asks slowly

“Would you like to join us tonight?” 

Malcolm’s face lights up and he starts talking quickly “Absolutely! Should I bring anything, do people bring food plates to a bar? What time? What kind of bar is it?” 

JT is already half regretting the offer but can’t take it back now. One the one hand Bright is the most socially awkward kid he’s ever seen, on the other hand they bonded recently over the flintlock pistol in the recent Count of Monte Cristo case and doesn’t think he’d do anything embarrassing that he’d have to live down at the precinct the next morning. He just has to hope that Bright doesn’t accidentally stuff those expensively covered feet into his mouth too many times in one evening. 

“Just bring yourself okay? Sattorios at 7:30, and it’s casual so no three piece suit please.”

“No suit. Right. Got it.” Malcolm’s hands are going wild as he tries to reassure JT that he can handle this. A night off with friends, a night out with Dani was a lot more than he expected out of this crime scene this morning. He smiles at Dani who returns a sly grin before he looks at his watch and remembers a certain breakfast date with his mother. 

‘I gotta go do a family thing but I’ll see you back at the precinct later.” Malcolm starts to walk away towards the park exit. 

Dani looked miffed and shouted after him “Wait Bright, you don’t wanna hang around with us while we look at camera footage?” Malcolm turns around, now walking backwards but not slowing down

“It’ll only be those small screens, two sets of eyes should be enough” He starts to raise his voice as the distance between them increases “I KNOW YOU’LL CALL ME IF YOU FIND ANYTHING!” and with that Malcolm turns back around and continues his trek towards the gate. 

It really was his favourite time of year, and things were looking up.


	2. When to call it a night

Present Day

Dani and Malcolm walk as slowly as they can through the badly lit corridor, trying to pick up as much detail as they can to try and figure out where they are right now. Unfortunately for them all they can see is uneven plaster on the walls and basic plumbing pipes on the ceiling. The odd light bulb guides the way until they reach a door, which when opened leads into a stairwell. The group ascends slowly, the Man followed by Dani, Malcolm behind her and the guard ever present behind them. The stairwell opens into a medium size green room, lighted mirrors on one wall and comfortable couches on the opposite side. At the other end of the entryway there’s yet another corridor with a curtain, behind it there is a low hum of voices. Malcolm wonders what kind of crowd is waiting on the other side of the curtain that is okay with any of this, but figures that this is New York City where anything goes so it’s not that much of a stretch. 

The Man turns to face the couple for a quick reminder of what’s about to happen. 

“Okay my lovelies, I’m about to go out there and set up your introduction. When I point in your direction Bradley here will give you a little nudge and you’ll join me on stage. Then all you need to do is stand there until I tell you to leave. And just in case you get any ideas-“ He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his little remote, pressing the button as his hand comes out. Malcolm and Dani both drop to the floor as an intense pain radiates out from the anklets they are both wearing, they find each other’s hands and hold onto each other for dear life until the pain stops. When it finally stops they take a moment to recover, on all fours with their chests heaving and the Man is satisfied he’s made his point. 

‘Excellent. This next bit won’t take long, it’s so much fun to send people to new and exciting places! See you shortly!” He grabs a microphone near the stage entrance and walks off into the bright lights. “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!......” 

Malcolm helps Dani to her feet, unsure of where to look or what to say. They were in danger of losing themselves because some a-hole had decided that his business was more important than a person’s freedom. He felt powerless right now, and it made him furious that he wasn’t doing more. Their “friend” Bradley was still with them, keeping a watchful eye on the couple. 

“New and exciting places? He doesn’t mean out of the country right? I’m sorry Dani, I don’t know what to do ……….” Malcolm felt the familiar tight feeling of a panic attack lurking. Dani can see that he’s spiralling again, so she takes his face in her hands and looks for those haunted eyes of his.

“I do. We remember who we are, believe we’ll get out of this and figure it out.”. She holds his gaze until she’s sure he’s really looking at her. “We have each other right?” Malcolm relaxes and smiles, resting his head next to hers so they’re standing cheek to cheek. Malcolm would happily stay here forever but pressure on his back tells him they’re out of time. 

“It’s showtime, kids. Make it look good.” 

Dani takes the lead connected to Malcolm and gives him one last reminder “We don’t owe them anything, and if you can’t stand to look at them you look at me.” 

Malcolm stares at his partner in earnest. “I’d look at you forever, Dani.” Dani’s mouth upturns in the tiniest grin before she puts on a look of utter contempt. He’d better put his game face on too. 

Malcolm takes a breath and walks out with Dani into the unknown. 

* * * * * * * * 

3 Days Earlier…  
It’s mid afternoon when Malcolm bounds up the stairs to the precinct the happiest he’s felt in a while seeing has his orthopaedic consultant had just given him the all clear from his recent metacarpal fracture. He was ready to get back into the swing of things and get the latest update on their body from this morning. He zones in on the conference room to see Dani staring at the victim board, sticking various photos onto it ready for the team’s arrival. She’s shrugged off her jacket from this morning and is now sporting a loose olive green button up shirt and black jeans. Malcom can feel his pulse quicken and is grateful JT and Gil haven’t shown up yet, so he takes a breath to steady himself and steps into the room.

“How was the Parks office? Was the TV big enough?”

Dani narrows her eyes and offers “There’s these things called USBs, saved us needing a screen at all.” She ends the sentence with a smirk. 

“Oh, that’s good. Well, if you ever need a flat screen for the ‘bigger is better’ approach you’re always welcome at my place.”

“Subtle as a sledgehammer as always, Bright.” JT strides into the room, chuckling at Malcolm’s discomfort at the interruption.

“I-I’m just saying that my TV is quite big, that’s all.” 

“Well I’m pretty sure our normal NYPD screens will do the job just fine.” JT’s quite enjoying himself when Gil joins them. 

“Okay guys, break it up. Where are we at with the vic ID Powell?”

“Our vic was ID’d as 30 year- old Robyn Tower. She was an architect, single, but living with a flat mate. We found her after her flat mate filed a missing persons report yesterday, she’d been missing for two days.” 

“Were there any signs of obsessive exes or friends?” Malcolm isn’t convinced it’s relevant to this particular murder but figures it can’t hurt to check the box. 

“None that we’ve been able to find, her flat mate and family told us that there weren’t any changes in her behaviour either. Everyone we’ve spoken to seemed really shocked.” 

“Do we have any more details on the cause of death?” 

“Not yet, but Edrisa must be pretty close to finishing up by now.” Dani reaches for her cell to check for messages and finds one from Edrisa. “Speaking of, Edrisa’s got something for us.” 

The team head down to the morgue where they find Edrisa with a furrowed brow and deep in thought. 

“Edrisa, what’ve you got for us?” Edrisa starts, breaking her reverie at the sound of Gil’s voice. 

“Well it really is quite the mystery. Cause of death appears to be cardiac arrest, but her heart showed no signs of a pre-existing condition that would cause her to have one at such a young age.” 

“Anything come up on the tox screen?” 

“Nothing, and I mean nothing. No alcohol, illicit drugs or common medications. If it weren’t for the heart attack I would have said she was an exceptionally healthy 30 year old.” 

JT tags in for Gil. “So how do you thing she ended up with a heart attack then?” 

“Well the best guess I have is the burn on her leg. She may have been shocked with something on her leg and the voltage killed her, but the shape of the burn makes it difficult to determine what the object could have been.” 

Malcolm stared at the burn again, racking his brain on everything he knew about burn patterns to identify what could have caused the radiating vein pattern, yet again he found the answer elusive. He looks up and addresses the team. 

“Accidental death kind of fits in with how the body was discovered. The killer didn’t display Robyn as if they were proud of their work, so if something happened where Robyn wasn’t supposed to have died then what we’re looking at is a plain body dump.” 

The new theory made the review of the park tapes all the more important, as Malcolm couldn’t narrow down the suspect search to a type of individual with the information they were looking at right now. Gil looks at his watch and is surprised how late in the day it is. 

“Okay, so we’re setting ourselves up for a good old fashion movie session. I’ll have the computer techs comb through the files we got from Riverside Park, they should be able to give us a summary first thing in the morning. A pleasure as always, Edrisa.” 

“The pleasure’s all mine!” Edrisa shouts as the team walks towards the lifts that will take them back to the offices above. As they walk back into the conference room Gil takes the floor before anyone can start a new train of thought. 

“Alright everyone, it’s been a long day so I’m calling this one early. We don’t want to upset the birthday girl by showing up late so go home for a bit and I’ll see you all at 7:30.” 

“Oh yeah, 7:30! I’ve got a great casual outfit planned JT, you won’t recognise me!” Malcolm looks really excited about his newly arranged plans for tonight, a rare sight these last few months. 

“All right man, don’t overdo it. I gotta run to pick up a cake for Tally, see you all soon.” JT goes back to his desk and collects his jacket, the first to head out into the afternoon rush hour. Dani and Malcolm follow closely behind, going their separate ways at the precinct steps to head home. For a split second Malcolm considers moving just to be able to walk in the same direction, but thinks better of it. She’s doing a number on his head lately, he takes advantage of the walk home to clear his head. 

* * * * * * *

“Oooh Dani, look at that!” Malcolm and Dani were walking down the sidewalk, huddling together to keep warm in the cool spring air. Malcolm stops and points to an intricate lighting installation hanging from the ceiling of a lounge bar. The warm glow from the tiny prism shaped lights looked ethereal and the large circular chairs looked warm and inviting given the temperature outside. “C’mon, let’s go inside!” 

“Bright, you’re supposed to be walking me home remember? Gil’s orders?” Dani was going to try to reason with him but suspected it was going to be futile. They were both a little tipsy from Tally’s celebrations and Malcolm’s boyish excitement was on full display. 

“One more drink, and then straight home I promise. They look like their whiskey menu should have more options than letters of the alphabet!” 

Dani sighed. “Fine. One drink. What is it with you and lights anyway?” She cast her mind back to when he’d been hit with Esteme’s stash and he spent a lifetime staring up at the club’s strip lights. 

“I don’t know, just go with it!” Malcolm grabbed her hand and dragged her inside before she could change her mind. At this time of night it wasn’t difficult to find their own corner of the lounge to themselves, and Malcolm was delighted when they found out it was table service. The spirit list once requested looked more like a dictionary owing to its thickness which only put Malcolm in an even happier mood. They each ordered a dram and sank back into the large chairs, one of the comfiest Dani had seen in a bar in a long time. 

“Soooooo, do you come past this place often? How far is your house from here?” Malcolm looked relaxed and settled in, clearly in no hurry to leave. 

“I walk past sometimes but my train to the precinct is in the opposite direction. I don’t tend to notice it during the day when the lights aren’t as sparkly.” She wrinkles her nose and squints, slipping back into the friendly banter they usually trade back and forth at the precinct. 

Malcolm takes a sip of his drink and smiles. “Well if I lived this close I think I’d be here every night. And I’d drag you along with me too” His eyes twinkled mischievously and he waggled his eyebrows. Dani looked at him and thought that if he *had* asked her she probably should have said yes, but he didn’t need any encouragement right now. True to his word he had managed to leave the suit at home, he’d decked himself out in dark jeans, a high necked black jumper and a chocolate coloured bomber jacket. The jeans were doing a fantastic job of highlighting a very fine butt, Dani wouldn’t mind if he wore them around the precinct a little bit more. Shaking her head of the image she brought herself back to the table. If she was going to listen to her heart and take this beyond their work relationship she’d want to do it when she was a little more in control of her faculties. Ignoring the truthful reply her heart wanted to respond with she bit her tongue and changed the topic. “I never pictured you as a springtime wanderer Bright…..”

They talked about everything and nothing, barely noticing when the wait staff returned with new drinks for them. The number of people in the lounge started to thin and it became obvious that they would need to debunk and continue on to Dani’s apartment. Dani kept thinking about getting up but all of a sudden she was finding it hard to concentrate and get her limbs to obey what she wanted to do. She looked up at Bright and found the same foggy expression on his face, as if he was willing his body to do something and it wasn’t complying. 

“Bright, I think something’s wrong….” 

“Yah, this is a new feeling and I don’t like it *at all*, and I’ve had some doozies. Let’s get back to your place, we’ll hail a cab for the rest of the way”

The pair slowly stand up and hold onto each other as they make their way out of the bar and into the cold night air. There’s so few people on the streets and even less cars, Dani didn’t fancy their chances of a yellow chariot coming to their rescue. 

“What do we do, Bright?” Malcolm is breathing heavily at this point, trying to keep his train of thought together. 

“Gil, call Gil. He’ll help.” He fumbles in his jacket pocket and locates his phone, slowly unlocks it and manages to find Gil’s number. The phone is ringing as Dani looks up and sees what she guesses is a taxi slowly cruising down the street coming to their rescue. 

“Hey! HEY!” She waves frantically and the car pulls up in front of them and the driver asks “Where to?” Thank God she thinks, and holding onto Bright they both shuffle slowly to the back of the car. 

“Bright? Hey Bright, can you hear me?!” Gil’s tiny voice can be heard through the phone speaker and Malcolm’s already forgotten that he was the one to call Gil. 

“Gil, whoops! Dani and I in trouble but it’s okay.” Speech is getting really difficult now as Malcolm follows Dani into the backseat of the car. Dani rattles off her address to the driver before her head drops onto her shoulder, completely unconscious.

“What did you say kid? You’re in trouble? You’re not making any sense! Where are you?!” Gil sounded concerned but Malcolm’s brain couldn’t find the words to put him at ease. 

“Yah, going to Dani’s, see y’ t’mrrw, night Gil” Malcolm ends the call and leans his head back in the car. His eyelids are so heavy, he just needs to close his eyes for a second. Dani can wake him up in a minute he thinks to himself. He hasn’t noticed that Dani had already passed out, and wasn’t familiar enough with the streets around Dani’s place to know that the driver blew past her apartment complex and just kept driving. Sleep comes for him and he barely notices. The driver waits four more blocks to make sure his passengers are both out before he pulls out his phone and dials a number. 

“It’s me, I’ve got them……….No troubles at all, we timed it perfectly. I’m bringing them in now, be there in fifteen.” The driver ended the call and continued his drive on the nearly deserted streets, loving the quiet at this time of night. This was his last pickup, then he could call it a night.


	3. The Edge of Dreams

Gil’s peaceful slumber was interrupted by the vibration of his cell on the bedside table. Eyes still closed his hand fumbles in the dark to pick up the device, utterly confused as to what could be so important in the middle of the night. When the caller ID says it’s Bright, he jolts awake instantly and takes the call. 

“Bright, what is it?” 

There’s no reply on the other end of the phone, just a distant cry of “HEY!” and the faint background noises of New York City at night. Gil tries again, louder this time. 

“Bright? Hey Bright, can you hear me?!” There’s another beat of silence before Malcolm finally answers. 

“Gil, whoops! Dani and I in trouble but it’s okay.”

Gil listens to the slurring in his voice and is instantly on edge. He’d asked Malcolm to get Dani home safely hours ago, why were they still out? Gil couldn’t see either of these kids getting so plastered on a weeknight that they couldn’t find their way home. 

“What did you say kid? You’re in trouble? You’re not making any sense! Where are you?!”

“Yah, going to Dani’s, see y’ t’mrrw, night Gil” The call abruptly ends and Gil stares at his phone in dismay. He checks the time on his phone, 2:06am. His intuition told him that something odd was at play here, he just didn’t know what yet. Gil called Malcolm’s cell back in the hopes of extracting more information out of him but the call rang out and went to voicemail, another worrying sign. He made the decision to head around to Dani’s and make sure they got back in one piece, grabbed the keys to his NYPD sponsored rental and headed to Dani’s. At this time of night he could get there in twenty minutes, if Dani and Malcolm aren’t home by then they should be close enough for him to find them driving around the surrounding streets. 

As he tries to quell the panic settling in his stomach (they’re law enforcement, they can handle anything he tells himself) the nimble i30 zips through the quiet New York Streets while Gil tries both Dani and Malcom’s phones again only to be met with voicemail inboxes. This does nothing for his nerves as he arrives at Dani’s building and pushes the buzzer. He tries again and again for another few minutes before he hops back into the rental and starts a grid search for the pair. There’s very few people out on the streets and still he can’t find anything. After two hours of driving around and finding nothing the panic in his chest is rising rapidly as he is now convinced that something has happened to them. 

“Kids, what happened?” he says to himself as he weighs up the options. Randomly driving around isn’t helping anyone so he decides to head to the precinct to see what tools at his disposal he could use at 5 in the morning, or at the very least formulate a plan to start finding them. Seeing as it was so early Gil took the indulgent action of parking directly in front of the precinct building, figuring he can move the car when the towing zones came into effect later in the day. He locks the i30 and makes his way up the steps when something catches his eye. It’s a small cardboard box lying to the left of the precinct’s main doors, and poking out of the top of the cardboard box looked to be a couple of mobile phones. Approaching the box slowly he realises he recognises the protective cases on the phones. They’re Malcolm and Dani’s. His mind ran through all the possibilities that would have led to their phones being left at the precinct, each one more terrifying than the last. This was a message, but it was also an opportunity. Gil grabs the door to the precinct and rushes to find some gloves so he can start looking at the evidence, his brain already putting a list together of who to wake up and bring in early. His kids were in trouble but he would do everything in his power to find them. 

“What did you guys get yourselves into?”

* * * * * *

2 Days Earlier

Malcolm feels like he’s been in a dreamless sleep, a rarity for him these days. As he slowly wakes up he notices there’s no pull of the restraints on his wrists. 

Odd. 

His head feels like someone’s turned a dubstep album up to 11, the pounding in his head an unwelcome visitor and the bright lights hurt to look at. His mind is a jumble and he can’t quite remember what had happened before he fell asleep. A part of him knows that he will need to drag himself out of bed at some point to get back to the precinct, but right now the thought of sitting up seemed too monumental to contemplate. Malcolm decides to keep his eyes closed a little longer, as if a few more seconds will make it easier when he tries to open them again. 

When he does work up the courage to open his eyes his brain registers that he appears to be lying next to someone, his arm wrapped around them in the classic big spoon/little spoon position. The mass of black curls he was staring at suggested it was Dani, but that would be crazy, right? 

Maybe not so crazy, as his mind flashes to glimpses of Dani in an oversized chair grinning in the same outfit he can see the back of right now. Did something happen between them? They were heading back to her place, maybe this is where they ended the night? Not likely he thinks. Deciding that this must be dream he decides to savour it a little longer before trying to move. The pounding in his head isn’t getting any better, and soon a dreamless sleep takes over again. 

* * * * * * 

It’s Dani’s turn to wake up next, her head also pounding and only getting flashes of the night before. She feels the weight of someone’s arm and it sends a warning signal to her brain. This helps her to wake up a little more and she makes the effort to roll over and see who she’s been sleeping against. To her surprise she sees Bright, eyes closed and looking relaxed. She knew his night terrors never really left him so she was surprised that he was this close to her. After feeling drained from the slight exertion of rolling over Dani decides to lie there a little longer until she can work up the strength to sit up. Her mind tries to sift through the flashes of memory she has and piece together the events that led to them sharing a bed. 

Sharing *a* bed. Not her bed. Her brain sends another warning signal but she’s not quite awake enough to process it. Instead she just watches Bright silently, breathing gently and not wanting the moment to end just yet. Things might be a bit awkward when he wakes up but they’d figure something out. She reaches out a lone finger towards his arm, slowly tracing a line from his wrist up his forearm and back. Malcolm’s lips turn upwards into the tiniest of smiles and his eyes slowly flutter open. 

“Hey there.” Bright looks completely content. 

“Hey yourself.” Dani released a breath she didn’t realise she was holding, he looked *happy* to wake up next to her. She could wake up like this every morning from now on. 

“I gotta say as far as dreams go this is the best one I’ve had in a while.” 

“Uh Bright this isn’t a dream.” 

“It isn’t?” A crease forms in between his eyebrows. “Well how did we get here?” 

It was Dani’s turn to frown. The fragments she could remember weren’t enough to fill in the gaps she had from the night before. 

“I don’t remember either. We must have made it home and passed out?” 

“It must have been some night. I gotta say though when I pictured your place in my head this isn’t quite what I had in mind. Do you think it’s time for a new bed? This one’s a bit small for two people.” Bright smirks a little, but Dani’s turning the words over in her head. Bright hadn’t been to her apartment before so he couldn’t have known, but this *wasn’t* her bed. The warning she’d ignored earlier shoots straight back into her consciousness and she sits up, taking in her surroundings for the first time. 

They’re in a room with a faded shade of pastel pink on the plastered walls with no windows to speak of. The cot is pushed to one side of the room, a table and chair are placed on the other side. The table contains a few bottles of water, some bagels and a selection of fruit. The room is only about 100 square feet and there are two doors on opposing walls. One appears to lead to a basic ensuite with a toilet sink and shower, the other is a reinforced steel door with no obvious handle. Dani doesn’t recognise anything in the room. Her breathing starts to quicken and she turns with urgency to Malcolm. 

“This isn’t my apartment. I don’t know where we are.” 

“What?” Bright looks confused, still trying to shake off the cobwebs in his mind. 

“I haven’t been in this room before and I don’t remember how we got here.” 

Dani swings her legs over the cot and it’s then she notices a square bulge sitting on her ankle, it looks like an ankle monitor used for people out on bail. She turns and grabs Bright’s ankle and finds a matching box strapped there too. 

“Why do we have these on?” Malcolm looks down in surprise as he notices the monitor for the first time.

“I have no idea.” 

Fighting down a rising sense of panic Dani tries to stand up. The world tilts and she struggles to stay upright, did she really have that much to drink last night? She takes a moment to get her bearings and stumbles over to the steel door, looking for a button or a handle to open it. Her fingers travel the length and breadth of the door but finds nothing. 

“There’s no handle on the door, we can’t get out. I'll call for backup.” Dani pats her jacket and jeans, looking for something "I don't have my phone. Where's my phone?"

Malcolm checks his own pockets and finds his phone missing too. “This can’t be right, what happened last night?” 

Malcolm slowly stands and goes to join Dani at the door, hoping that she’s just missed something while she works off her hangover. He can’t get a hold of his balance either, and he *knows* he didn’t drink that much last night. When he arrives at the door after a slower shuffle than he intended his fingers trace the same grooves as Dani’s did but find no purchase. 

“We’re trapped in a room that we can’t get out of, that never ends well. But we've got half the ingredients for a diaqiari so at least we won’t starve!” Dani’s sarcastic defence mechanism kicks in as she walks back to the cot and collapses back on it while she waits for the world to stop spinning. Malcolm’s eyes are moving rapidly while he tries to come up with a scenario that fits the facts at hand. 

“Neither of us remember what happened last night which means we much have been drugged with something. What though? And to what purpose?” 

“I don’t know Bright, but my head feels like it’s gonna explode.” 

“Mine too, make some room.” Without thinking to object like she usually would Dani shuffles across the cot so Malcolm can fit. 

“I guess we just have to wait to find out why we’re here.”

“Mmm-hmm, yup. We’ll wait it out.” Dani closes her eyes and falls back asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this far on my first episodic arc! As always if you've got any comments I'd love to hear them :o)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Brightwell, All the time.

2 Days Earlier

According to his watch it had been three hours since Dani had fallen back asleep. In that time Malcolm had drifted in and out of consciousness, still trying to fight off whatever they had been dosed with. His hand was starting to tremble, a sign that he was more than just a few hours late with his meds. While he was awake he’d heard nothing from outside the room that they were in which left him with nothing but his thoughts to occupy him. The gaps in his memory of the previous night were just as frustrating as the gaps from twenty years ago and after a couple of hours trying to remember anything he gave up and decided to hold Dani until she woke up. 

He hoped that someone would open the door soon and give them some answers, all this waiting was giving him flashbacks from his time with Watkins. The only thing grounding him was the feel of Dani underneath his fingers, which traced along her shoulder and down her back while she slept. Her shoulder twitched and Malcolm was hopeful that she was finally waking up. Her face turned upwards and Malcolm could hear a sharp intake of breath as she remembered where they were. Suddenly she was facing him, their faces mere inches apart. 

“Did you remember anything?” Straight to the point. 

“Nope, I got nothing. Nobody’s been in either so you didn’t miss much.” 

Dani looks down and spies his never-better-shaky-hand doing just that and reaches down to clasp it. Malcolm takes a deep breath and tries to relax. 

“The good news is that the facilities in the bathroom work, so that’s something. We haven’t got any towels so we might leave the shower until things get dire.” 

“Good to know, thanks Bright.” Dani wouldn’t necessarily be disappointed by a lack of towels should Bright decide he needed a shower at this point.

“So do we wanna make a plan for when the door opens?” 

“Well there’s two of us and the door has to swing inwards based on the hinge mechanism. It looks to be electric so we should get a warning before it swings open.” 

“You can coax whoever comes through the door further into the room and then I can hit them in the chest with this-“ Malcolm points to the chair at the back of the room “and then when the door is stopped from shutting by their body we’ll jump over them and make a run for it. Whattaya think?” 

“I think it’s a bad plan but it’s the best we’ve got.” 

They move the chair behind the door in preparation for their plan before returning to the cot when eventually the silence is broken by a mechanical sound emanating from the door. Dani and Malcolm share a look to confirm that they both heard the same noise and bolt to their respective positions. Malcolm picks up the chair and prepares to swing at whatever is about to walk through the door but before he can ground himself a jolt of pain hits him in his ankle and travels throughout his whole body. His body spasms and he drops to the floor in agony, when he looks for Dani he can see her going through the same thing next to the table. The pain eventually stops and they remain still on the floor, breathing heavily. While they recover two sets of well shod feet have entered the room and are waiting in silence. Not sure what they are waiting for Malcolm chances a glance upwards and is greeted by a garish smile from an over-dressed and over-tanned Ceasar Flickerman wannabe. 

“Why hello there. Planning something were you? I love my canvasses with a little spunk! Oh this is turning out to be quite the return on investment.”

“Canvasses? What kinda word is that?” Malcolm manages to pant the question out as he recovers from the shock. 

“Well that’s what you are my dears! Think of me as a…….curator of sorts. I provide a service to a certain percentage of the world’s elite, ones with *particular* tastes. My job is to find the canvasses that meet my client’s specifications so they may fulfil their deepest desires!”

Dani looks over at Malcolm who has the same dumbstruck look that’s no doubt plastered all over her face right now. “So you collect *people?!* You can’t do that! This is human trafficking!” 

“High end human trafficking my lovely, no need to be so crass. I like to think of it as more of a wish fulfilment service, and a lucrative one at that.” The constant smile was getting nauseating. 

“So why us? Do you know that we’re NYPD? You’re gonna have our whole precinct tracking us down, you may as well let us go now.” Malcolm knew the chance of this plea being successful was small but he had to give it a shot. To his disappointment the Man started chuckling. 

“Oh Malcolm I know what you are, that’s part of why this is so thrilling! Strong people begging to be broken always fetch a high price, and I can see that you have that in spades. *You* are an added bonus though, my main acquisition was Ms Powell here.” The way that this guy was talking about Dani like she was a piece of art make Malcolm’s stomach turn. He thinks he’s got enough strength to rush him when the pain in his ankle starts all over again. 

“Now now Malcolm, you don’t want to do something you’ll regret. As much as my friend here will stop you before you do any damage I can’t have any marks on you before the sale.” 

Dani’s face is dripping with contempt. “You’re talking like we’re paintings or something, we’re human beings! Why did you want me anyway?” 

“Well see I had a little snafu just before my last sale was due to go ahead and I needed a replacement. I was very lucky to find you when I did, I hate having to disappoint my clients!” 

Malcolm turns over what the Man has just said and then suddenly the pieces click together. Dani was the same age, build and complexion as their current victim from Riverside Park. The burn mark on her leg was in the same location as the box currently sitting on their own ankles, and his comment about not wanting to physically mark them tracked with the lack of injuries they’d seen on Robyn. “Robyn was here before us.” 

“Yes, my boy. Her anklet malfunctioned and when we went to get her ready for the show she was already dead. I thought a public park would be a nice anonymous place for her to be found and couldn’t believe my luck when Ms Powell showed up at the crime scene. It’s like it was meant to be!” 

Hope rose in Dani’s chest, if he saw her at the crime scene then there’s a good chance that he was captured on the USB CCTV files at the precinct. Gil and JT might have a lead to find them. “So why is Bright here if you only needed me?”

“Well I couldn’t go past those eyes, one could get lost in them forever!” 

Malcolm’s expression could have curdled milk. 

“I watched you for the day and found your relationship to be quite fascinating. There’s obviously a connection between you two though it appears you aren’t acting on it and you are such a beautiful pair. When we went to drug Ms Powell at the lounge I just *had* to bring both of you in.” The Man looked proud of himself. 

Malcolm and Dani were horrified that they’d been surveilled and they’d both missed it. Gil would never let them hear the end of it. Malcolm tries a different tack. 

“If this is about money my family has more than we know what to do with. Name your price and we can pretend this never happened.” 

The Man appears to consider the offer for a full second before he chuckles. “Ah Malcolm, it’s not just about the money. I’ve already had to postpone this event once, a second delay would not go over well with my clientele. Ms Powell’s freedom is not negotiable, and I suspect that if I told you that you could only buy your freedom and not Ms Powell’s you wouldn’t agree to it.” 

Malcolm looked at Dani and knew that he was right. He would not leave her to face this on her own, he knew they had a better chance of getting out of this if they stick together. The Man took Malcolm’s silence as confirmation and clapped his hands together. 

“Now, this has been fun but I have places to be and people to see. You’ll need to sit tight here for the next few days-“ 

“Wait wait wait, a few days?!” 

“Yes yes, I need to make sure you’re looking as fresh as possible. GHB is a doozy and can have some nasty side effects. My styling team will come back tomorrow and we’ll discuss outfit options for the big day, ooooh you’re in for so much fun!” 

And with that the Man walked out of the room, the heavy steel door shutting behind him quickly leaving no chance to prop it open. Dani got up off the floor and climbed back on to the cot, feeling numb after what she’s just heard. It had never occurred to her that she could be targeted in such a way, she’d been with Gil and the crew for so long she was used to how she looked having no impact on how she was treated. To be targeted for such a basic reason felt like a violation. 

Malcolm joined her and put his arm around her shoulders. He couldn’t think of anything that would make this moment feel any better so they sat together in silence, the sound of their breathing the only thing marking the time. 

* * * * * * * * 

Present Day

“And now it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you tonight lots three and four!” 

Malcolm and Dani make their way slowly out towards the stage, Malcolm walking out first trying to shield Dani until the last possible moment before they’re both exposed for the world to see. There’s a spotlight on them as they join the Man in the centre of the stage. The room itself is dark, the only lights they can see are the emergency door signs at the back and the low yellow table lights emanating at equal intervals a metre off the ground in a rectangle shape. The void suggests there is a secondary stage in the middle of the room much like Dancing with the Stars. A dance club maybe? They’d have no way of knowing. The lighting was so dark that the faces of the people sitting at the table weren’t visible from where they were standing, only silhouettes guaranteeing anonymity in this archaic tableau. Malcolm and Dani remain stone faced as they try to tune out the blatantly false story the Man is spinning to explain what they’re wearing. Malcolm tunes out only hearing the odd snippet here and there 

“Beautifully built”…………..”fiery”…….“Incredibly strong willed”…………“Genuine connection”……………”They need *you* to help find their calling”………..Malcolm hears this and his heart starts to beat faster. John Watkins had told him that killing his family was his calling. When he looks out again into the dark space with the equally spaced lights all his brain can see is the house basement John kept him in, and after days of being without his meds he couldn’t shake the scene. He was back there with Watkins, watching as he pulled the axe from his bag of tricks and told Malcolm he was about to lose his family. He needs to get away and can’t! He stands there frozen, his breathing getting faster and faster with no sign of slowing down. 

Dani feels nauseated to hear herself described in such degrading terms but won’t give them the satisfaction of them seeing it. She’s trying to formulate their next plan of attack when she feels Bright stiffen next to her. She glances across and sees the look of fear in his eyes, his quick and heavy breathing and recognises it from the night terror she witnessed during the first case they worked on. He seemed fixated on something at the back of the room and couldn’t seem to snap himself out of it. Dani tried to think of something she could do that didn’t involve her shouting at Bright and she looked down at the lead in her hands. Without thinking she pulls her right arm back and turns towards him, the lead going taught and forcing Bright to turn towards her. The shock of the sudden movement makes his eyes widen even more in fear before he registers that it’s Dani in front of him. Malcolm’s breathing starts to slow and when Dani sees this her hand reaches out and quickly cups his chin like she did at the Berkhead party all those months ago. Dani sees recognition in Bright’s eyes and when he returns the smallest of smiles, she knows he’s back. As quickly as the smile had appears it was gone, he slips his stone mask back on and he turns to face the darkened void again. Neither of them had noticed that the Man had stopped talking and the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The silence was broken by a small throat clearing beside them. 

“Well ladies and gentleman, as I was saying there is certainly a deep bond between these two. Do I have any takers for this magnificent pair?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reaching this far in my story! There may be a longer gap between this chapter and the next as I'm slogging through the case side of the fic and it's not coming as easily as the Brightwell scenes ;o) Bear with me and I hope to have the story moving forward soon!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paths start to converge as Gil and JT find help in the most surprising of places.

36 Hours Earlier

It’s been just over 24 hours since Dani and Bright went missing and Gil and JT find themselves at the Whitly house to give Jessica the bad news. With Gil’s rather loud encouragement the tech team had pulled together the CCTV footage from the park and the bar they went missing from in record time. There had been a person who had shown interest in the couple at the bar but the interview at their business had been a bust and Gil was now at a point where he couldn’t put off seeing Jess any longer. She was going to kill him for losing Malcolm again so soon. Gil’s tired from the lack of sleep and looks up at the marble steps with dread. 

Louisa shows them to the sitting room and they wait, it isn’t long before they hear the sound of impossibly high heels echoing down the stairs. 

“Gil, Detective Tarmel, what can I do for you on this fine morning? Is my delinquent son hiding behind you somewhere?” 

Gil got straight to business. “I'm sorry Mrs Whitly, I’m afraid Malcolm isn’t with us. We have reason to believe he’s been abducted with Detective Powell.”

Jessica wasn’t buying it. “Do you really expect me to believe that my son has managed to get himself taken twice in the space of two months?” 

“Yes, and we don’t know why at this stage.” 

Worry started to cloud Jessica’s features. “This is the last straw Gil, when you find my son he will be quitting the NYPD whether he likes it or not. All this job seems to do is get him hurt!” 

JT thinks that there’s a snowball’s chance in hell that anyone will convince Bright to do that but he has enough sense of self-preservation to keep that comment to himself. “Their phones were dropped back at the precinct on the night they were taken, and we were able to track the car they were taken in to a large storage facility but that trail went cold.”

Before Jess can start to tear them out Gil continues. “We spoke to a person of interest who was seen on camera at the time of Dani and Malcolm’s disappearance but we’ve been unable to make a connection.” 

“Who is this man?” 

“Ken DeSilva, owner of a little burlesque club called “Desire and Delight”. He didn’t give us anything helpful beyond what we’d been able to determine from the CCTV feeds we had. Our background check didn’t reveal anything significant for us to be concerned about, and his club looks to be what it says on the label.” Gil was waiting for the barrage of words that were no doubt about to head in their direction but Jess seemed lost in thought for a moment. Her lips moved slightly, repeating the name of the club over and over. 

“Desire and Delight, Desire and Delight, that’s not the first time I’ve heard of that phrase. Where was it from?” There’s a moment of silence as Jess tries to pull the recollection from her subconscious. Suddenly she snaps her fingers. 

“Yes, I’ve heard that name before, from a friend in our circle. She said that if you had certain ‘needs’ you wanted to have satisfied then Desire and Delight was the place to find it.”

JT looks dubious “Uh, I would have thought friends like yours wouldn’t need to go out to a club to get those kinds of things seen to.” Jessica shoots a withering glare over in his direction and JT instinctively looks for cover in the sparsely decorated room. 

“I’m not talking about something as basic as sex, I mean more uh…. complicated desires. Ones that aren’t necessarily legal.” 

“And do these desires involve people?” Gil takes over while JT recovers.

“One would assume so, yes. Do you think that’s what may have happened to Detective Powell and my son? Nobody would be so naïve to take a cop and old money for this type of thing would they?”

“We don’t know Jess, leaving the phones at the precinct was a pretty ballsy move so it’s conceivable their backgrounds may not matter. Do you think there’s a chance you might be able to find out about this clandestine part of the club’s business?”

“I will ask around and let you know if I find anything.” 

“Thank you, Mrs Whitly.” 

Gil and JT said their goodbyes and got into the cramped i30 to head back to the station.   
* * * * * * * * 

Later that afternoon Jessica strides into the precinct to talk to Gil. She is shown to his office and waits for the door to close before catching Gil up on what she’d managed to find out. 

“So I was able to find out that on the odd Monday nights Mr DeSilva holds a private show only for people whose reputation proceeds them and are able to provide the designated password. She said it was an auction and various items are sold. My friend wouldn’t go into more detail than that.” 

Gil frowns. “She said items, do you think they mean people?” 

“I would say there’s a good chance, yes. And it turns out there’s a show tomorrow. They must be at the club so you can go and get my son now, yes?”

Gil looked apologetic. “It’s not that simple Jess. At the moment all I’ve got is an unsubstantiated rumour of a party and no clear connection to Dani or Bright. That won’t be enough to get any type of warrant with a judge.” 

“Well then Gil, what do you suppose we do?” 

“We have DeSilva under surveillance and we’re watching to see if he leads us to a secondary location.”

“And what about this supposed auction tomorrow?” 

Gil thinks for a minute. “We could put together a sting operation, get someone in the party?” 

Jess thinks it over and makes a decision in a heartbeat. “Okay Gil, I’ll do it.” 

Gil looks at Jess like she’s got three heads. “That’s not what I meant. I meant that we’ll get a trained operative into the party.”

“How? The people who attend these events are well known in my social circle. No undercover agent however good they may be can create that kind of notoriety in a day. Plus you don’t know what the password is, but I do.” Jessica looks triumphant in the knowledge that she is about to get what she wants. Gil sighs as he realises that she’s right. 

“Okay. I’ll have to clear it with the brass but I don’t see a way for us to create a cover story that will be believable in such a short time. I don’t think you’d be able to wear a wire as I imagine they will be fairly security conscious so you’ll have to keep us updated through your phone.” 

“Absolutely. And when I see my son I’ll just shout at the organisers to hand him back.” 

“No Jess, you could put yourself in danger doing that. You’ll be there to collect evidence for us, and if you find Bright and Detective Powell you contact us right away and we’ll bring in the cavalry.” 

“Very well Lieutenant, I’ll follow your lead. I can’t believe my son has managed to get himself into this.”

“To be fair to Malcolm I don’t think there’s anything he’s done deliberately to put himself in harms way this time.” 

“Huh, there’s a first time for everything. See you tomorrow, Gil.” Jess leaves as quickly as she arrives. 

Present Day

Jessica is walking down the quiet street in the West Village not quite knowing what she’s looking for. The club is known for its discretion so she hasn’t got the benefit of a neon sign to show her the way. She’s hoping that the information she got from her friend was accurate, her son’s life may depend on her ability to find this auction. As she walks past an old dance studio that could do with some love she finds what she is looking for, a small canopy above a non-descript door with the letters ‘D & D’ written in red cursive. Relieved at achieving the first stage in the plan she quickly sends a text update to Gil.   
JW: ** Found the club, it’s a small door with a D & D on the canopy above it. It’s on Greenwich Street, look out for the Grey Rinse Dance Studio. Heading in now.** A few seconds later the phone buzzes with a reply:  
GA: **Great, thanks Jess.**

Satisfied that Gil has enough information to find her location she quickly deletes the two messages in case security do a sweep of her phone and heads through the door. Jessica walks down the darkened hallway until a very wide security guard prevents her passage any further. 

“Can I help you?” Jessica summons a level of entitlement that only a person of her wealth would ever dream of unleashing on other people at the innocuous greeting. 

“Seeing as you’re blocking my way I should hope so! I’m here for the auction.” 

“You must be mistaken ma’am, there’s no auctions here, this is a club.” 

“What utter nonsense, you and I both know what is going on here. I have been referred by my good friend Siobhan Randwick who suggested I come along tonight.”

Jessica sees recognition in the guards eyes and knows she’s halfway there. “Ah yes, Siobhan. And who might you be?” 

“I am Jessica Milton, yes those Miltons.” The man’s face shows he recognises the surname. Jessica decided to use her maiden name lest the people who have Malcolm know what his true surname is.

“Okay, if you were recommended by Siobhan you know I need one more thing to admit you entry.” 

“Certainly. I can’t think of a clever way to put it in a sentence so here goes- Coconut.” Her heart beats wildly in her chest as he waits for confirmation that the password she was given is correct. A small smile crosses her lips as the guard reaches back to pull the curtain aside for her. 

“Thank you Ms Milton, enjoy the show tonight. Bethanie will be with you momentarily to show you to your seat.” 

“Of course.”

Jessica walks in to a room that’s trying to capture the feeling of intimacy but not quite reaching it. The rectangular room has two distinct levels, each having a series of curved booths cut into the wall and angled slightly towards the front of the stage. The booths are lined with a buttoned crushed velvet design that looked comfortable but worn, and in front of every booth was a small circular table with a dim table light. Jess looked up and finds gilded ironwork on the roof that's seen better days and a few lurid cupid like angels flying in each corner of the room. She decides if there was any karma in this world this building would one day spontaneously combust from embarrassment. The curtains were closed on the right hand side wall so she hadn’t missed anything yet. She went to grab her phone to update Gil when a young woman smiling warmly walked up to greet her. 

“Mrs Milton, welcome to our proceedings tonight! I understand Ms Randwick recommended us?” 

“Uh yes she did. I’m sick of the same old parties so I thought I would try something new.” 

“Excellent, well I’ll just run through the ground rules as it’s your first time. You’ll have your own booth for the show and on the table is one of these.” She holds up something that looks like a school calculator. “This will be registered to you so if you see something you like you can use the numbers to make a bid and hit the OK button to submit your offer. Any purchases must be settled immediately after the auction, I presume this won’t be an issue?” 

“No, no issue at all. Lead the way.” 

“Before we get started I’ll need your phone.” 

“I’m sorry, my what?” How could she update Gil if she didn’t have her phone to text him?

“We respect every bidder’s right to privacy as well as our auction items so any devices capable of taking pictures or audio is booked into our cloakroom for the length of the auction.”

Jessica thinks quickly for an excuse to keep her phone “But if I purchase anything I will need to call my bank to authorise the funds transfer.” 

“If you are a successful bidder Mrs Milton I assure you that you will be able to access your phone outside the hall to secure the required funds. If there’s nothing further?” Bethanie hold her hand out, waiting expectantly.

“Yes, yes of course.” Jessica squeaks out a small smile and hands her phone to the young lady. Bethanie pockets the phone and then pulls out a wand the TSA agents use and waves it over her Jessica, presumably to check for further electronics. In that moment Jessica is grateful that Gil decided against her wearing a wire. 

“Excellent, now please follow me.” Jessica walks behind Bethanie and is shown to a booth on the left hand side of the room. Jess slides in an orders a two fingers of bourbon, figuring there’s no way she’s waiting to see if her son is part of this awful auction sober. 

It’s about ten minutes before the lights change on the stage and a man who Jessica assumes is Ken DeSilva enters to lukewarm applause. He’s all smiles and smarming charm that’s quite sickening to watch, Jessica’s stomach rolls as he drones on and on. Eventually he brings out the first ‘lot’, a girl no more than twenty with a short blonde bob wearing a pinafore dress and bright red ribbon in her hair. She looks absolutely petrified. It’s at this point that Jessica decides to stop drinking, if she wants to have any hope of remembering what these people look like so they can get rescued she’ll need to do it with a clear head. The sense of nausea stays with her as the digital bidding clock ticks upward slowly until the numbers finally stop and a winner is announced. The girl is led backstage again with her whole body racking with sobs, understandable when you’ve just been sold like a filly at a horse sale. De Silva announces there’s a short break and Jessica looks around for a sign that anyone else is as horrified as she is, only finding relaxed small talk. Two girls who must work here the other six days a week take the stage and start a well-practiced routine to fill the time. The girls look detached as they sway backwards and forwards to the jazz in the background and Jess wonders how this place is afloat if this is what the talent looks like. She leans over to the booth next to her and finds a couple similar in age to her chatting away.

“Excuse me, how long is the break likely to be?” 

“First time hey? It’s usually only ten minutes or so, just enough time to refresh your drink and visit the bathroom if you feel so inclined.” 

“Great, thanks.” 

Ten minutes of torture waiting to see if her son is here. She doesn’t know how to feel right now, she can’t imagine how Malcolm and Detective Powell must feel if they got caught up in this but a horrible part of her wishes that they did. If she finds them here tonight it means that she is one step closer to finding her son and getting him back. If he isn’t here then Gil has no other clues to find them and he could be lost forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading so far! After much internal debate I decided to make the story a little more Jess-centric than I'd originally intended. The next chapter is entirely a Brightwell slow-burn and it's very close to being finished so there won't be long to wait ;o)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chapter of slow burn Brightwell held together with the tiniest of plot devices. Enjoy!

24 Hours Ago

“Aaaaand that’s rummy again.” 

“Nope, your run of seven needs to be in the same suit. Diamonds and clubs together are no bueno Bright.”

“Wait, hang on you didn’t say that when we started the round.”

“It’s been the same for every round before it, why would it be any different now?!”

“When we get out of here I’m googling this, I just think you don’t want to admit that I’m this good after only learning the game this morning.”

“Oh Bright, I’d hate to see what you’re like playing Monopoly.” Malcolm snorted.

“Forget Monopoly, we need to play Pictionary. My two second elephant scribbles are the stuff of legend in the Whitly household. You wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Dani shook her head smiling softly and collected the cards for another round. It had been about a day since they had first been introduced to their captor, and apart from a brief delivery that included towels, two packs of cards and some sandwiches there hadn’t been any other visitors. After exhausting all discussion about pointless hypothetical escape plans they were filling the time by Dani teaching Malcolm how to play California Rummy. She’d learnt it from her Dad and recalled the games they spent playing on a Saturday night fondly. Dani started dealing the cards to start the round again when the door clicked and they are greeted by a large portable clothes rack with a shock of turquoise hair following in behind it. A man the same age as them shuffles in and makes space for himself next to the doorway while he waits for it to shut. Once the door is closed he wheels the clothes rack to the space behind the door and resumes his position on the opposite side of the door. 

Malcolm surveys the guy and has to admit he’s not like the stylists he’d seen his mother with over the years. He’s walked in with a Stone Temple Pilots print T-shirt that fits his body like a glove, black jeans, no lace sneakers and a ton of confidence. Their new acquaintance leans against the wall with one leg up and head tilted to the side, his lips moving ever so slightly as he talks to himself. Malcolm quickly assesses that they are unlikely to get anywhere by trying to plead to the guy’s better angels to help them escape, but they might be able to get other information out of him. 

Dani is getting uncomfortable being stared at silently (the guy hadn’t even introduced himself) when suddenly Malcolm moved from in front of her to beside her, his hand ever so lightly brushing against hers as he moved. Disliking the unease she felt from their new visitor she found her hand grasp for his and hold it before it could pull away, at which point Malcolm looked at her in quizzical surprise before turning his attention back to their guest. 

“Well aren’t you two cute. I have to say it’s rare that I get to come up with a costume for a duo, imagine what we can do together!”

“We aren’t getting changed for anything, you can’t make us.” Malcolm is hoping that he can lay the ground rules now to save Dani having to undress in such a small space. 

“Oh yes you will or you’ll find yourselves having an *electric* experience with me.” They both recognise the threat and adopt the expression of kids being told they can’t leave the dinner table until all the broccoli’s been eaten. 

The stylist goes over to his clothes rack and starts shifting the hangers from left to right, seemingly searching for something and talking more to himself than the captive couple. 

“We need to create an illusion, create a narrative for our clients tomorrow that turns curiosity into desire so those jeans are definitely out. Now the question is do we go for a naughty or nice look? Where’s that….”

He tails off before pulling out a high round necked 1950’s long sleeved dress with a stiff flared knee length skirt, one that wouldn’t look out of place in an episode of Pleasantville. He motions for Dani to step towards him and she replies with a look that would make most people wilt. He raises his eyebrows and says a single word- “Electric”

She steps forward reluctantly and catches the dress that is launched at her. “Get changed into this.” 

“What, here?” 

“Where else honey? We’re all grown-ups here.” 

Dani has no intention of undressing in this room and looks backwards towards the bathroom. The stylist sighs and nods his agreement. Malcolm moves aside so the dress Dani’s clutching will fit down the narrow aisle to the door at the back. The door closes and Malcolm pushes down his disappointment, now is definitely not the time to be ogling his partner. He turns his attention to the man who is once again attacking the hangers with gusto, pulling out a brown checked double-breasted suit and cream turtleneck. It’s the most revolting outfit Bright’s ever seen and yet he can’t help but chuckle when he wonders what Gil would think to Malcolm wearing his most beloved item of clothing. 

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, just something a friend from work would have enjoyed.”

“Alright then, get changed into this…….. Now, I don’t have all day.”

Malcolm looked at the door which was still closed and figured with all those buttons Dani had to figure out he could change faster than Dani could. He starts taking off his jeans and slips the brown tartan pants on quickly, noticing the stylist’s eyes focusing on his bare legs and briefs. Next came the shirt which Malcolm was more sensitive about, the scar from his stab wound was still a shocking shade of pink and a reminder of a time he didn’t want to dwell on. The tremor in his hand started up again as he thought about it while he slowly pulled his shirt over his head. 

“Geez, what happened to you?” The stylist pushed himself off the wall and made a beeline straight for Malcolm’s rib cage. Malcolm took a step back hoping to preserve his personal space. 

“A souvenir from my last kidnapping and I’d prefer it if you didn’t go near it, thanks.” The stylist looks surprised.

“Really, who are you? What kind of person gets kidnap-“

Their conversation is interrupted by Dani opening the door and walking back into the room, starting slightly at the sight of Bright with his shirt off and his toned chest on display. Desire flared inside her and she tried to stop it from showing on her face. Malcolm gawks back at her and Dani wonders what he thinks of her in this dress. It’s not a colour that works on her but the cut does a nice job of accentuating her waist and the skirt length highlights her bare legs that rarely see the light of day at work. She looks down slightly, pleased with his reaction and watches Malcolm clumsily grab the turtleneck and yank it over his head and musses that slicked back hair of his. 

“Hi there, Gil” she lets out a small laugh, if only she had her phone to immortalise this. 

“Shut up.” The words sound grumpy but his expression is playful. 

Dani rejoins Malcolm as the stylist casts an appraising eye over the couple. He doesn’t look pleased. 

“Okay, the innocent domestic look isn’t working for you two. Demure and submissive won’t get you sold tomorrow.” 

Malcolm’s gaze darkens at the mention of tomorrow. 

“This is ridiculous, you know that this is illegal right? Why are you helping that guy?”

“The money is excellent, and I get to create real life characters of my very own with each show. It’s every artists dream.”

Malcolm looks for a trace of deceit in his answer but finds none. “Really, that’s it?” He can’t believe it’s that simple. 

“Yep, it’s that simple. Now, let’s try the other end of the spectrum……..” He goes back to the hangar and finds a tuxedo jacket and pants. “Try this on.” 

Malcolm takes the new outfit and starts to undress. Dani makes a pointed effort to find somewhere else to look so he can have some privacy but she can’t help sneak a peek while he’s messing around with the pant legs. *Damn* she thinks to herself, and it’s all she can do to stop herself walking over and wrapping her arms around him, turtleneck and all. Malcolm’s got the trousers on and looks for the shirt but can’t find one under the jacket. 

“No shirts for you, with that body you don’t need one.” Malcolm looks embarrassed at the comment and Dani tries to keep her features neutral but can feel the heat creeping into her cheeks as her body signals its agreement. 

The stylist turns to Dani and pulls out a bodice that’s all lace and not much else. Dani’s heart drops at the prospect of having to change into it before he mumbles “Not quite right, we’re going for sophisticated power.” His next idea is made from black patent leather but it looks more like a strip of leather than an item of clothing, and it wasn’t until Dani spied the laces that she realised it was a corset. Accompanying the corset is the smallest pair of shorts she’s ever seen. 

“I am not wearing that.” 

“Do you want me to grab the lace out again? Now come on, I need to see it.”

“But I can’t dress myself in that on my own!” 

“I’ll help you then.” Dani looked horrified at the idea of a stranger helping her into the corset, Malcolm saw Dani’s face and stepped between the two to prevent him getting any closer. 

“I will help instead.” The stylist seemed amused. 

“All right, suit yourselves.” 

Malcolm grabs the outfit and turns towards Dani, waiting for her to take the lead. She takes the hanger and walks slowly back to the bathroom, and once the door is closed she makes a start on the trail of buttons currently wending their way down her chest. Once the dress is off she throws it into the shower space, not caring where it lands. The shorts are easy enough to put on but the tightness of the fabric is quite unnerving. Dani grabs the corset and has a few tries at looping the laces through the first few holes before putting it over her head but the laces are too slippery and they won’t stay in the holes. Seeing no way to put the corset on herself she places the front of the bodice over her chest and presses it tightly in one hand, the other hand reaching for the door knob. She takes a deep breath and enters the room once again. 

Malcolm hears the door open and all manner of thoughts fill his mind, none of them particularly appropriate for the predicament they were facing right now. The look of discomfort on her face at being so exposed in front of a stranger was plain as day and yet all Malcolm could think about was how hot she looked in those shorts, how her tangle of hair framed her face and tickled her bare collar bone in such a way that on any other day it would have been breath-taking. Malcolm pushes his feelings aside and looks to Dani for permission to approach. She gives Malcolm a small nod and turns her back towards him. 

Once again Malcolm ignores what his body is telling him as he is greeted by the sight of Dani’s exposed back. Her breathing is slightly shallow and he can see her lithe frame move with every breath. Desperately trying to keep his arousal in check he takes a deep breath and steps toward her. 

“I’ve just got to make the laces even first, okay?” 

Dani nods her head quickly, curls bouncing as she does so. “Sure. Okay.” 

Being very aware of where he places his hands he grabs the laces and finds the middle. He needs to adjust the length slightly so his left hand holds the middle and his right guides the laces to be equally balanced on both sides. His hand grazes her back and he feels a jolt of electricity. Dani gasps slightly and he brings his hand up to her shoulder to reassure her. Her breathing slows and he gets back to work. After finding the middle he slowly pulls the laces through one loop at a time, the gap between the two edges of leather slowly closing. As the gap lessens Dani’s physique becomes more pronounced, and when he has finished his hand absently finds the top of her spine and traces a line across to her shoulder. Malcolm hears Dani respond and realises he needs to start thinking about decaying bodies or dinner parties with his mother to prevent a certain something from rising to the occasion. 

She was stunning. And he *wanted* her. 

Dani entered the room and saw Bright’s eyes widen before quickly trying to reign them in. She can see his chest take in a deep breath through the gap in his tuxedo jacket, and once more she wishes that they were alone and anywhere but here. As she nods for him to approach and turns to face the wall she waits in anticipation for Bright to join her. Suddenly she can feel his breath on her shoulders and she suppresses a shudder. When his fingers graze her back her body responds with a rush of endorphins and she can’t supress a gasp, her body craves more but she stays still. They stand in silence as he finishes, but when his hand slowly traces her neck to her shoulder a low moan escapes her before she can stop it. She turns to meet his eyes the desire she is feeling is reflected in the profiler’s face. 

Hooo boy, they were in trouble. 

They were so engrossed in their little vignette that they’d forgotten they weren’t the only ones in the room. They jumped when the stylist spoke again, the moment broken. 

“Well, I think we found our story. I have a few small things to add but I think this works very well. You can get changed again and the completed outfits will be dropped off tomorrow. I’ll come and do the finishing touches in the afternoon before you leave.” 

“Before we leave? Where are we going?” Dani hopes that this whole episode will be worth it if they can get a bit more information on what usually happens to the people in this room. 

“Not far to get to the auction, then after that you’ll leave straight afterwards with whoever buys you. Most clients don’t want to hang around and chat after they’ve found what they wanted, you’ll be gone before the auction even finishes.”

His short reply gave them a goldmine of information but none of it was going to help them right now. They now knew that they only had a day for Gil and JT to find them before they might disappear from the city altogether, and any information they might glean once they are released from the room would likely be gathered too late to enact any kind of plan. Dani also figured that there were other people who would be part of the auction tomorrow and they had no way of helping them right now either. The cop part of her wasn’t happy about that. 

“Hurry up and get changed, I’ve got places to be and people to see.” 

Dani wrenches her eyes away from Bright and turns so he can undo the laces. She feels a slight tug towards Bright each time and it’s reminding her of something else she’d like to be doing. Dani shakes her head to clear the image from her mind and places a hand on her chest again to catch the corset as it loosens. When he’s finished and her bare back is exposed again Malcolm traces a gentle line down her spine and Dani can’t help but shiver at the touch. 

“Geez guys, get a room. Oh wait, you’ve already got one!” The stylist has a twinkle in his eye, clearly enjoying this afternoon’s work. Dani stalks to the bathroom and closes the door to get dressed while Malcolm does the same in their little cell. 

“Dude, you’re hittin that right?” 

“No, I’m not. We’re work partners, nothing more.”

“Uh Blind Freddy would tell you that you’re full of it right now. You’ve got nothing else to do in here, why not make the time in here count for something?”

Malcolm didn’t disagree that his idea was a good one, especially after all the messages his body has been screaming at his brain in the last few minutes. He wasn’t going to give this guy the satisfaction of knowing that though. 

“I can’t do that here, it wouldn’t be right.” Malcolm focuses on the button of his jeans so he doesn’t have to look the guy in the eye when the lie comes out of his mouth. 

“Is there ever the right time?” 

The door opens and Dani is back in her top and jeans once again. The clothes are thrown over her arm and she unceremoniously dumps them at the feet of the stylist. He grins and returns the hangers to the rack and pushes the rack to where he was standing, ready to depart. He bangs on the door twice and it swings forward, ready to move on to the next project. 

“Thanks for everything, I’ll see you again tomorrow. I hope you can find something to do to pass the time until then.” The stylist waggles his eyebrows and begins to push the rack out the door. Malcolm has an idea and starts to advance towards the guy, who without turning says “Don’t try to follow me, you know what will happen if you do.” Malcolm isn’t keen to have a repeat of the day before so he thinks better of it and stands impotently next to Dani. The door shuts and the two are left alone, each lost in their thoughts and struggling to reign in the sensations their bodies are feeling after being so close to one another. Dani can see Bright’s hand trembling and decides this isn’t the time to rush into anything so she breaks the silence first.

“So, another round of rummy?”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Updated tags for this chapter, ends with a little PWP.

Present Day- Gil 

Gil was pacing the floor of an empty office space on Barrow Street in the West Village waiting for word from Jessica. It had been forty-five minutes since Jessica had sent them the message pinpointing the location of the bar but since then they had nothing but radio silence. They’d manage to secure the unit through one of the NYPD’s holdings for undercover operations but since Jessica had confirmed the address Gil calculated they were about three minutes away if assistance was needed. 

“You know you’re gonna end up walking yourself through the floor if you keep that up.” JT thought Gil’s pacing was doing nothing to help the mood in the room. The officers they were holed up with looked tense, their eyes following Gil with every trip backwards and forwards in the small space. Gil stopped and took a breath. 

“I know, I know. I’m just worried about Mrs Whitly, she’s not usually in this line of work and we’re a good few minutes away if she needs help. Why haven’t we heard anything from her?”

“We went over this on the way here, there’s a good chance they might not allow phones into the venue. It’s only been forty-five minutes, we need to trust that if she needs help she’ll get word to us.” 

Gil knows JT is right, but he’s always had a blind spot where Jess Whitly was concerned. Her decision to put herself in the crosshairs of a situation they didn’t fully understand put him on edge, and he wouldn’t calm down until he knows that Jess, Malcolm and Dani are all safe again. All he can do now is burn a hole in the carpet with his pacing and wait. 

Present Day- Jessica

Jessica is a bundle of nerves as the second person is led off the stage, this time a well-built man in his early thirties who they’d decided to style in flannel and denim. His eyes looked equally as terrified as the first girl and she is amazed once again that nobody else in the room seems bothered by this. Jess decides to walk around the room this time, running into the host from earlier.

“How are things Mrs Milton?” 

“Oh fine dear. I’m just easing myself into things. Can I ask how many more people -I mean lots- are on the cards tonight?”

“Certainly, we have another three tonight and I assure you they are of the highest quality.” 

“Oh excellent. I hope there’s a few that are my type.” Jess hates this. 

“Well let’s hope so.” 

Bethanie nods her head as a farewell and continues her path toward the bar, and Jess seriously considers following her. A quick trip to the bathroom fills out the remaining down time and she retakes her seat just before De Silva returns to the stage. 

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!! Thank you for your attention so far this evening. This next lot is our highlight for the night and one that I am particularly proud of. After a request from one of my esteemed clients seated out there amongst you tonight I have scoured the city to find a goddess ready for the taking….” 

Jessica’s ears prick up at his choice of words and hope begins to spread throughout her body. While she hasn’t spoken to Detective Powell often she was certainly aware of how beautiful she was under her detective uniform of loose shirts and pants. Her pulse starts to quicken when De Silva starts talking about a companion to the goddess and by the time he’s talking about ocean blue eyes she’s positive Malcolm and the detective are about to walk out on to the stage. Jessica is torn as to what she should do. If she leaves to get her phone now she can notify Gil but it might appear suspicious to leave before the auction’s even halfway through. Then it hits her like a lightning bolt: she can bid for them in the auction. She’s got the bidding remote and there’s no amount she won’t pay to get them back. If she’s successful then they will get handed back to her immediately after the sale and she won’t need to worry the NYPD about tracking them. Jessica looks back up at the stage as De Silva announces the arrival of lots three and four and her breath catches, it’s them. 

Malcolm walks out slowly first and appears to be half dressed in a tuxedo suit with a leather harness underneath. There’s a lead which is being held by the detective who looks every bit the goddess that De Silva was selling. Dani is practically unrecognizable in a corset and robe and Jess can tell by the murmurs in the crowd that they’ve produced an interest in the audience. Jessica notices some sort of anklet on Dani’s leg and realises that this is why the others hadn’t tried to beg for their freedom, they were simply unable to. The couple’s faces don’t show any fear and they stare dead ahead, daring the audience to look at them while De Silva drones on. 

Suddenly there’s a change in Malcolm’s face and his breathing starts to quicken and Jessica realises he’s seeing something. It’s escalating quickly and knowing how her son gets Jessica wants nothing more than to race over to her son and hold him until it passes. It takes all her strength to keep seated in the booth when Dani suddenly pulls on the lead holding Malcolm and pulls him to face her. That’s all Malcolm needs to calm down and soon the look of resolve on his face is back, and the silence in the room tells Jessica that she’s going to have stiff competition to win them. 

10 Hours Earlier  
The day started with Malcolm waking suddenly and finding himself in Dani’s embrace. Bright had started to have a night terror and the space on the bed was limited, Dani didn’t know what else to do but grab his arms and hold him until he woke up. Panting and sweaty they stayed on the bed holding each other until Bright was ready to let go. A short time later the delivery of breakfast and their outfits for that night arrived and despite their best efforts to try and get Malcolm any kind of medication their porter left without a word. After a small breakfast of croissants with jam and coffee they had decided to have a look inside the clothes bags. What was inside made breakfast threaten to come back up. 

“What is this?” Malcolm pulls out a connected bunch of leather straps and buckles which are sewn into a ring in the centre. 

“I think it’s a harness Bright.” 

“I know what it is Dani, believe it or not I have been in a seen one of these before.” 

“Have you……..worn one before?”

“That’s none of your business.” His reply is harsher than he intended, the stress of their situation and the longer withdrawal of his meds were starting to fray his nerves. “Ugh, I’m sorry, I don’t feel quite right. I’m not mad at you.”

“I know. We’ll get out of this soon, I promise. I guess we’ll find out what bonuses I’ve ended up with hey?” Dani goes to her bag and pulls down the zipper. She looks inside to see the corset from yesterday along with a soft red floor length robe. 

“So far, not terrible.” Her hands reach behind the robe to search for the shorts from yesterday but can’t find them. Her hands brush against the bag, sweeping up and down to try and find the shorts but all she can find is a pair of sheer tights and black satin knickers. “Oh God, they can’t be serious.” 

“We should have looked later.” 

Six hours later the stylist from the day before returns with a makeup and styling kit. He keeps conversation to a minimum, focused on making his vision a reality. Dani’s hair is straightened and slicked back against her head into a low bun, make up kept simple with a smokey eye and dark red lipstick (which he leaves for her to reapply later). Malcolm gets a stubble shave and a little eyeliner, his hair is combed back with oil in his normal style. The stylist surveys his work and looks rapt. 

“You guys are gonna *slay* tonight. I can’t wait. You’ve got about four hours to wait, don’t make me come back and redo this okay?” 

Then they are left alone, small talk eventually making way to awkward tension. They haven’t really talked about what happened yesterday, and the pressure between the two of them is building. Malcolm decides that avoidance is the only way to go right now so he grabs the cards and starts building a tower, happily collecting and rebuilding each time it falls. Dani takes to pacing the small room which does nothing to calm the mood in the room, and while Bright is doing his best to pretend nothing has changed between them she knows that it has. Her mind can’t stop replaying the look in Bright’s eyes when she was helping her dress, can’t stop remembering every single muscle under that dark jumper. She stops pacing and faces Bright. 

“So are we gonna talk about yesterday?”

Malcolm starts and his current card tower topples toward the table. “What do you mean?” 

“C’mon Bright, I saw how you were looking at me. I know you saw how I was looking at you.”

Malcolm sat agape, his mouth opening and closing not unlike a fish out of water. “I….I….I….. didn’t think it was the right time to talk about it.” 

“We’re both stuck in a room with no way out, this is the perfect time to talk about it.”

“But we’re not really in a normal situation. We’re under stress, feelings are heightened, I didn’t want to start something we might regret later.” 

Dani’s not having a bar of it. “Regret? You’re worried that acting on our feelings will only lead to regret? Are you telling me that you weren’t attracted to me before we landed in here?” 

Malcolm looks down at the floor, unable to lie to Dani. Dani knows she’s right and it’s too late to stop so she barrels on. 

“That’s what I thought. So you need to get out of your own way because right now Malcolm Bright I want you.”

Malcolm’s head snaps up at the admission. “You……want me?” 

“Yes. I want you. Now.” 

She reaches over and pulls him out of the chair he’s sitting in and draws him towards her. Their lips find each other and suddenly the tension in the room gives way to something new and exciting for them both. Hungry for more Malcolm spins around and guides Dani onto the cot all the while kissing Dani deeply and with an urgency that leaves no doubt as to his true feelings. Dani reaches for Malcolm’s bottom and hitches her leg up, angling her hips towards his. Their tongues dance with each other and it isn’t long before Dani is gasping for air. Malcolm breaks away when it becomes apparent that he can no longer keep his growing cock contained, Dani notices and responds by pulling at the waist of his jeans and guiding the denim down to his knees, taking full advantage of the trip her hands have to take on the way down there. 

There’s a little awkwardness as Malcolm quickly steps out of his jeans while Dani shimmies out of hers, both a little clumsy in their rush to get undressed. Malcolm’s shirt is off in a second, and Dani reciprocates. After the flurry of activity Dani waits on the cot, sitting upright with her chest rising and falling rapidly in anticipation of what’s coming. Dani wants to touch every part of him, every muscle and scar and doesn’t want to wait any longer. 

Malcolm is in awe of how beautiful she is, captivated by the sight of her naked body that he’s pined over for so long but never dared to think he could have. The pink walls melted away and it felt like they were back at home, breaking new ground on a part of their relationship that had been teetering in unknown territory for quite some time. He takes a moment to remember how this feels, and he stands there so long uncertainty creeps into Dani’s expression. 

“You okay, Bright?” 

“Yes. God yes.” 

“You haven’t moved in a while. You still wanna do this?” 

“Absolutely. One hundred percent.” 

“Well then get back over here.”

Not needing to be told twice he falls back onto the cot, his hands exploring the parts of her body he didn’t get to see yesterday. Her breasts feel soft in his hands and to be able to grab her bottom is a feeling better than he could have imagined. He kisses her softly while his hands roam free, Dani occasionally letting out a soft moan behind her lips. His touch tingles across her skin and she doesn’t want to wait any longer. She reaches down and finds his cock, stroking it a few times to make sure he’s hard enough causing Malcolm to moan in pleasure. Satisfied he’s ready for her Dani slowly guides him towards her waiting body. 

He pushes gently and finds Dani eager to welcome him, slipping in smoothly. They quickly find a rhythm as Malcolm thrusts backwards and forwards, Dani’s hips moving with him and her hands raking over his back, the sense of urgency and want overpowering them both. Their kisses are desperate, their tongues dancing together like they’d done this a thousand times. Malcolm starts to move faster and Dani responds in kind, she can feel herself starting to climax and searches around for a wall, the edge of the cot, anything to grab onto while the wave she feels inside starts to crest. 

“Bright, Oh my God……..” 

Malcolm maintains his pace for Dani’s sake, getting off at the sight of her taking so much pleasure from him that he’s close to climaxing as well. He can feel the pressure building inside, begging for release. 

“Ah, Dani……. I can’t………” 

“Yes you can, I’m coming!” 

And with a final few thrusts Dani shouted as she orgasms, that’s all Malcolm needs to finish himself with a final thrust of his hips before dropping onto Dani, gasping and completely spent.

Malcolm takes a moment to collect himself before slowly sliding out of Dani and collapsing next to her. Dani’s breathing is starting to slow and Malcolm looks at her face, trying to gauge how she’s feeling but finding her expression difficult to read. Dani turns her face towards him with a half-smile and says 

“We should have done that a lot sooner.”

“Well you know me, I misread things all the time. Feel free to be more upfront in the future.”

“Oh I will Bright, believe me I will.”

They lie together naked for a time, hands finding new paths to trace as they soak up the last few minutes alone together. Neither one needs to say it, but they know that they will have to start changing soon to be ready on time and this could be the last time they are truly alone. Malcolm looks at his watch and sees they’ve got thirty minutes left before they get collected for the show and suddenly realises that he doesn’t want their captors to know what they’d done when they come back. This moment was for the two of them, he didn’t want it belonging to anyone else. He sits up and moves towards the shower when he has an idea. 

“Wanna join me?” 

Dani’s face says yes, but her makeup and hair say no. “If I get water on this there’s no time to fix it.” 

“Hmm…….” Malcolm goes to the cupboard under the vanity and emerges with a triumphant “Aha!” In his hand are two shower caps. 

Dani thinks it over for a red hot minute before she smirks and makes her way to the bathroom. She’s not wasting another second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being patient with this update! My first attempt at a sex scene took a little longer to come together than I had anticipated.
> 
> I apologise if I've put a burlesque club in the middle of a cappuccino strip in the West Village but I'm working from Google Map satellite pictures and I liked the location relative to other parts of Manhattan. I wanted to lend a bit of authenticity to the locations but having never been there it's a bit hard to get a frame of reference :o)
> 
> As always I'm happy for comments, if you want to join me on twitter commenting on all things Brightwell and Prodigal Son with a great group of people you can find me @HannahB7715


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The threads start to converge, all changes in POV are happening in real time from now.

JESSICA

Jessica can’t seem to stop her hands from shaking as the auction on her son gets underway. Looking down at the little calculator in her hands she’s hopeful that she can outbid everyone and bring this nightmare for her son to an end. The starting bid comes in and it jumps quickly in $100,000 increments, much higher and faster than the previous two auctions. De Silva can barely contain his excitement at the numbers which continue to rise higher and higher, yet her son and the detective remain defiant and show now hint of emotion as their lives are auctioned away. Jessica decides to aim high and puts in a bid 500,000 above the top current offer, hoping to spook other bidders away with the size of her cheque book. It works for a moment as there isn’t an instant responding bid and Jessica begins to hope that her gambit has worked and this will all be over. Then, another counter bid that is $500,000 above her own elicits a gasp from the audience.

“Well I promised something special tonight and with our highest bid ever entered at our auctions I believe I have delivered!” You can practically see the dollar signs flashing in De Silva’s eyes. 

Jessica takes a deep breath and mutters to herself “It’s only money, it’s only money, it’s only money….” She types in a request to up the amount by 250k but finds that the bid isn’t registering on the bidding screen. Frustrated she flips over the little device, looking to check to see if the batteries had fallen out or something equally as simple. Finding nothing Jessica presses the ‘send’ button over and over again, desperate not to lose her son now but it’s no use. The number remains frozen on the bidding board and De Silva starts to do the ‘going once, twice, three times’ spiel and Jessica starts to panic. Her son and his partner are slipping through her fingers and she can’t do a goddamn thing. 

MALCOLM AND DANI

“Aaaaaaaaaand SOLD!” 

The Man says the words that Malcolm and Dani were dreading, the hope that the auction would be discovered in time for them to be saved had died with that little four-letter word. The Man walks towards the pair with an outstretched arm and turns Malcolm back towards the backstage area. Malcom feels numb at the realisation that they aren’t likely to get out of this situation today as well as the feeling of defeat that he couldn’t find a way to talk themselves out of this like he usually manages to do. As his mind tries to process what just happened his walking pace has slows down, he doesn’t notice until there’s a hard tug coming from his chest. He looks up to find that the Man now holds the lead that Dani had been carrying, their friend Bradley now had Dani by the elbow and was making her walk faster too as they made their way towards the stairs. 

“Come, come my dears, I don’t have a lot of time between you and the next lot so we need to get back quick sticks so you can start your new lives!” 

The pair are practically dragged down the stairway and tunnel back to the abandoned dance studio, back to the room that had changed so much in their lives already. The door closes behind them once again and Malcolm and Dani rush towards each other, holding on to each other like one would cling to a life raft in the ocean. 

“This isn’t happening, this can’t be happening to us. Where is Gil?” Dani honestly thought they would have been found by now, sure that there had been enough cameras to piece together what had happened to them. 

“I don’t know, but we just have to keep our eyes open for the next opportunity okay. We’re still us.” Malcolm sounds like he believes what he’s saying but he’s not really sure at this point. 

Nevertheless the words do their job and Dani manages a small smile. “Yes we are.” 

JESSICA

As her son is walked off the stage Jessica feels light headed, unable to process what just happened in front of her. In minutes her son was bought and sold and she hadn’t been able to help. The lights brighten slightly to mark the start of the next intermission and Jessica figures it won’t be suspicious if she leaves when they’re over halfway through. She walks to the back of the room searching for Bethanie who is quietly directing wait staff with drinks orders to various tables. 

“I would like to leave please, how do I go about getting my phone back?” 

“I’m sorry to hear that Mrs Milton, is something the matter?” 

“There most certainly is. I wanted that last couple and by bidding remote froze at the end. I wasn’t finished and couldn’t continue with the auction!” 

Bethanie put on a face of concern “I’m sorry Mrs Milton, we do have technical glitches from time to time. I apologise for any inconvenience; I would recommend you stay until the end in case our next lot is also to your liking.” 

Jessica doesn’t buy the fake sincerity for one minute. “Technical difficulties? You’re seriously telling me that there was a glitch with your equipment at the end of that auction? Has anyone else complained?” 

“I’m not at liberty to discuss conversations I’ve had with other patrons. May I suggest once again that you return to your booth and see what else we have to offer tonight.” 

Even if Jessica buys the hogwash they are trying to sell her a quick look around the room shows nobody else looking agitated. 

“Did you cause my little device to malfunction?” Jessica glares at the woman in such a way that her smile falters and it’s all the proof she needs that her hunch is correct. 

“I’m sorry Mrs Milton, but we have established clients that we like to keep happy. While we are very fortunate that you were able to create a healthy bidding environment it is in our best interest to reward those already loyal to the services we provide.” 

With fury coursing through her veins it takes all her strength not the slap the woman where she stands. Jessica takes a deep breath and realises she can use this to her advantage. 

“Well if this is how you treat new potential buyers I have no desire to stay. You’ve robbed me of a fair opportunity to win what I wanted, and I always get what I want. You can retrieve my phone and I will be leaving. NOW.” 

Bethanie can see that she has lost the argument and with a quick “Certainly ma’am” walks towards the cloak room. The girl is gone for several precious minutes and Jessica starts to worry that this is just another ploy to force her to stay until the next auction. She knows that every minute she delays here is another minute that Malcolm and the detective are potentially lost to her. Pacing backwards and forwards in a tight line she grips her hands together to stop them from shaking. Bethanie eventually returns with her phone and apologises one more time for the inconvenience. 

“I do hope you won’t be discouraged from attending future events with us. Have a pleasant evening!” 

Jessica storms off towards the exit as quick as her stilettos will allow, stalking past the security guard with what she hopes is a look of anger rather than worry. Once she’s cleared the security guard she opens the door to the brisk night to make sure she won’t be overheard while she calls Gil. With trembling hands she finds his number and hits the call button. She hopes it’s not too late to save her son, and doesn’t know what she’ll do if it is. 

GIL

The amount of time that has passed since Jess had contacted him was really starting to get Gil worried, and he was gripping his phone so hard waiting for an update that he was surprised he hadn’t cracked the screen. At JT’s request he had stopped pacing, so now all he could do was stand against a desk with every muscle clenched in anticipation of news. 

When his phone lights up and starts to vibrate Gil almost jumps out of his skin, relieved to see Jess’s caller ID. He picks up the call eagerly. 

“Jessica, what can you tell us?” 

There’s sniffling on the other end of the line and Gil’s stomach drops to the floor. Jess was always one to hide her emotions behind a wall of anger in times of stress, the fact that she was audibly crying meant that she was well past the point of being able to keep her emotions in check. Gil waits patiently until she can hear Jessica regain control of her breathing and he puts her on speaker so JT can relay any necessary information to the tactical team. He hears a big intake of breath and waits for her to start. 

“They were in there Gil, my son and the detective. Put up for sale like they were nothing. There were others too, a young girl and another man and they took my phone under the guise of ‘privacy’ so I couldn’t send word. Oh Gil it was horrible!”

JT and Gil share a look of relief that they had finally found their missing team members. All that was left was to go and get them. 

“Thanks Jess, that’s great that you’ve seen them. Were they still inside when you left?” 

“I don’t know, they were taken backstage as soon as they finished the auction for them. That was about ten minutes ago, I demanded they give me my phone back as I wanted to leave.”

Gil keeps Jess on the line as he gives the signal for the tactical team to suit up and head out to their armoured vehicle. JT squeezes into the drivers seat of Gil’s Hyundai and starts it up quickly, not wanting to lose any distance between them and the tactical team. He wants to get as much detail before they knock the door down. 

“Can you tell us what the layout of the building is? Anything our team should be aware of?”

“It’s a long corridor which opens up into a theatre. The lighting is non existent and the decorator belongs in the seventh circle of hell for their lack of taste-“

Gil huffs and cut her off. “I need *relevant* details Jess. What is the layout of the room, how many people?” He hears another sniffle before Jess replies.

“Yes, yes, sorry. There’s practically no lighting at all, there’s a stage to the right-hand side and booths for patrons are parallel to the other three walls. There’s about 25 booths with a few wait and security staff, maybe ten or so as well as one large security person at the end of the first corridor that I could see.”

Gil radios the relevant information to the tactical leader so they are as prepared as possible. The convoy is tearing down Greenwich Street and Gil tenses up when they’re a minute away, they are so close to reuniting their team he’s hoping he can hold himself together for just a little longer. “You should be able to see us any second now, meet us outside.” 

“Okay Gil, oh yes I can see the lights!” A small sob escapes Jess and Gil can’t believe how strong she’s been tonight. It’s less than a minute before the i30 pulls up at the pokey entrance and Gil practically throws himself out of the car and towards a frantic Jess. He can see that she’s working off the adrenaline in her system as she talks very quickly to Gil and JT about the points they just covered in the car, her arms dancing in the warm hue of the police lights. She manages to articulate a description of what the missing pair is wearing and it’s the last piece of information Gil needs before they can breach the building. 

“Okay Jess, I’m gonna get you to wait behind my car until we’ve cleared the building. Understood?”

“Yes- of course Lieutenant.” 

“Great. Hopefully we’ve got them for you soon.” 

Gil walks over to the tactical leader and passes on the description of what Bright and Powell are wearing so they can be on the lookout during their sweep of the building. With nothing left to do he joins Jess and JT back at his car and they all listen to the radio chatter as the building is breached and searched. 

“Entering the main theatre now……FREEZE!!!!..........No sign of the POIs in the main theatre, moving to sweep the back stage area…………….. We’ve got a small room with no occupants, wait we’ve got a staircase………………..And we’ve got a small foyer with an emergency exit FREEZE DON’T MOVE!!!!... Just another security guard, no sign of any POIs……” 

The building is sweeped and secured in a matter of minutes but the search turns up nothing. Despite Jessica’s efforts to get to Gil as soon as possible Bright and Powell are nowhere to be seen. A pressure builds in Gil’s chest as the fear of losing his kids returns, and it takes all his strength to push it down so the cop part of his brain can continue to function. If there are no obvious exits to the building besides the front door where on earth could they be?

MALCOLM AND DANI

They’ve only had a few minutes to themselves before the door swings open and the Man has a new friend, presumably the person who bought them. 

“Oh aren’t they just the sweetest? My dears, this person works for the lucky person who’s decided to take you home with them tonight. Bradley here will see to it that you get on your way safely. I would stay but I have a show to get back to. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you!”

Dani shoots daggers at the Man as he walks away and turns her attention to the middle-aged woman standing before them. Her navy jacket and skirt with white pin stripes are exceptionally tailored, the thin gold bracelet and necklace understated and her brown hair is blow dried to frame her angular face. She stands in front of them silently, seemingly inspecting them at a closer distance than the stage would allow. 

“Yes, you’ll do nicely.” Malcolm’s heartbeat quickens slightly, her accent isn’t American. He can’t quite place its origin and his mind jumps to far flung places they could be heading to. Without his meds to keep him balanced he lacks the ability to squash the question that comes out of his mouth.

“Where are we going?” 

The woman smiles “You don’t need to know right now, rest assured you will get there comfortably. I need you get changed but bring what you’re wearing with you, the trip we’re taking is not a short one and those clothes aren’t exactly comfortable. Put these on.” Dani is handed a small overnight bag which has two black button up shirts, two pairs of black pants and simple dress shoes. She’s slightly relieved that it isn’t more in line with what she’s wearing now and walks back in to the room. Realising that Malcolm isn’t following she turns back and sees his chest rising and falling sharply again, and just as he opens his mouth to say something she calls out softly 

“Bright, I need some help with the laces, remember?” 

Malcolm catches himself, turns to Dani and nods ever so slightly before walking back into the room where everything changed. They wait for the door to close but it doesn’t, their right to privacy taken away by the woman outside the doorway. 

“Make it quick please, we have a plane to catch.”

It’s their worst fear confirmed, a plane could mean anywhere in the world. Dani steals a quick kiss before turning around so Bright can undo the laces tied down her back. His hand is shaking badly so he curls his hand into a fist to stop the tremors before starting work on the thin straps in front of him. The first time he had loosened the laces his body was practically humming with desire for Dani, now in the aftermath of the evening’s events all he feels is hollow. Once he’s finished he remains planted in front of Dani to give her some sort of privacy as she quickly slips into the plain cotton clothes. When she sits on the chair to do the laces on her shoes Malcolm quickly gets changed himself and soon they are stuffing the corset, harness and other garments into the same overnight bag. They exit the room and wait expectantly. Bradley walks towards them and to their surprise pulls out a wand that activates the magnetic lock on their ankle bracelets. Dani and Malcolm are relieved and immediately start thinking over their options to escape once again. The woman in front of them notices the gears start to turn in both of their eyes and pulls a small pistol out of her briefcase. 

“I can see what you’re thinking and I suggest you don’t. Bradley will escort you to our vehicle and if one of you tries anything on the way I will shoot the other in the kneecap.” 

The group walks towards the entrance of the studio to where a large white SUV is waiting. The door is open and ready for their arrival, Malcolm and Dani are shown in first to the back of the vehicle and are shackled to the floor by an ankle chain once seated. Once the door shuts Malcolm and Dani both test the doors handles and window buttons only to find that they won’t open, the child locks must be activated in the car. The woman climbs in the front passenger seat while a large gentleman occupies the drivers seat. 

“Okay, let’s get moving.” 

Before the car can get into gear Dani notices the flickering of red and blue lights against the walls of the buildings around them. Daring to hope she looks backwards and sees a large tactical van tearing down the street, stopping one hundred feet in front of them. A Hyundai i30 follows closely behind it (an odd choice for an assault vehicle Bright thinks to himself) and out of it spills Gil and JT. 

“GIL! JT! WE’RE IN HERE!!!!!” Dani and Malcolm start banging frantically on the windows trying to get their attention but the tinting of the SUV’s windows and the cacophony from the arrival of the NYPD make it impossible to be seen or heard outside the car. Then Malcolm is stunned by what he sees next, his mother rushing from the adjacent building and straight into Gil’s arms. 

“MOM!!!!!!!” 

Jessica Whitly doesn’t appear to hear her son as she starts talking quickly, her arms waving around in an attempt to tell Gil something all the while tears are streaming down her face. She finishes talking and starts sobbing, JT hovers awkwardly while Gil goes to confer with the tactical team. Malcolm realises she must have been inside at the auction for some reason, she had seen them be auctioned off to the highest bidder and been helpless to stop it. Malcolm is stunned into silence. 

The driver surveys the scene in front of him and makes the call. “Let’s go, this is too close for comfort.” He puts the car into gear and slowly does a U-turn, taking care to avoid any scrutiny as they pull away from the scene now behind them. 

Malcolm looks across to Dani, tears brimming in his eyes knowing that they missed being rescued by mere seconds only to find the same look of despair on her face as well. He reaches out for her hand and clasps it tightly, then they move together slowly until their foreheads meet, sitting silently in their grief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to chat I'm over on the Prodigal Son Trash and Whump servers on Discord!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the wonderful sonshineandshowers for the beta on this chapter.

JT  
It’s hard to concentrate much on the job standing in the street with Jessica Whitly sobbing into Gil’s jacket. He hears through the radio that Powell and Bright aren’t in the building and watches Mrs. Whitly and Gil crumple at the news. He’s giving them a moment while trying to figure out their next move, figuring that their own look at the backstage area is the next thing they should do.

JT clears his throat “Gil, I think we should take a look inside and see what could have happened to them.”

“Yeah, yeah, JT, we’ll head inside in a second.” Gil replies. 

JT turns to give Gil and Mrs. Whitly some privacy and walks away from the commotion that is the NYPD raid on Desire and Delight. He looks down the street, sees a white SUV putting distance between them and the convoy of parked cars, and makes a mental note of the make and model in case they need to search for potential witnesses later.

“Alright, JT, let’s get in there.” Gil has his game face back on and JT is itching to find a clue that brings his team back together. He walks in with Gil through the long passageway, and as they reach a theatre, he can’t help but agree on Jessica’s assessment of the decorator’s final destination when he lays eyes on the room’s décor. They walk quickly past the patrons who have been marshaled to the back of the room, as there are unlikely to be any leads from that particular group. Instead, they head towards the stage, eager to try and ascertain how Bright and Powell could have disappeared. They meet Menendez, the tactical team leader, in the stage left area. 

“What have you got for us, Menendez?”

“We’ve done a second sweep of these two backstage areas and come up with nothing. The emergency exit downstairs looks to be fairly standard but it’s a narrow alleyway backing on to the main street. The door was stuck into the doorjamb with grease and dirt from disuse, plus it sent the damn fire alarm off when we opened it to check, so we doubt it was used to move any victims. No sign of the club owner either.”

Gil tries to hide his disappointment. “Okay, thanks, Menendez, we’ll look around and see what we can find.” He starts to pace around the room looking for clues, and JT wants to look at the door downstairs. He heads down the narrow stairway to the small landing with the emergency exit. Inspecting the door, he agrees with Menendez’s assessment that the door hasn’t been used in a while. There are clear splits along the doorjamb where the grease and dirt came away unevenly from the seam as it had been opened by the tactical team.

He turns to the wall behind him, unsure of what to do next, when his eye catches on the opposite wall. The foyer is only about five feet across, and where there was once a curtain covering the opposite wall, it’s been pulled back, possibly from the search of the building. Now that the curtain has been moved, JT can see a small gap on the side of the wall.

“Gil, I might have something, man!” he shouts up the stairwell and starts to inspect the gap which runs the entire height of the wall. He hears the heavy thumping of feet on stairs, and suddenly, Gil is right next to him.

“What is it, JT?”

“I’m not sure yet, but it could be a hidden door. I’m lookin’ for a button or something to get it open.”

“Hang on, we’ve got the security guard that was stationed down here — let’s get him back.”

Gil disappears back up the stairs and returns with the lanky guard. When the guard sees JT’s attention turned to the curtained wall, his expression shifts to one of nervousness.

“Okay, so you know that two of the people who got sold here tonight were cops, right?”

The man’s complexion pales slightly, but his lips remain closed, for now.

“Do you know what happens when someone aids and abets criminals who endanger cops?” Gil leaves the sentence hanging in the air and leads the man to answer the question in his head. “Where did they take my guys?”

“I can’t tell you that, I’ll never work again if I do.”

“If you don’t answer my question prison will make sure you won’t have to worry about gainful employment for a long time.”  
The man shifts nervously from side to side, and JT can tell he’s close to breaking. He acts on a hunch and pushes it a little further.

“We know that they were moved from this site, and we know it was through this wall. You’re gonna open it up for us, aren’t you? Cos you’d hate to see NYPD’s finest in trouble, wouldn’t you?”

There’s a silence as the gears turn in the guard’s head, and eventually they end up at self preservation. He reaches into his pocket and must have hit a button because behind them, they hear an electronic click and the wall swings away to reveal a large, darkly lit passage.

“The NYPD thanks you for your cooperation, now go relax upstairs, on us.”

Gil picks up his radio and waits for Decker and Ellis from the tactical team to join them before they start to walk down the tunnel. Their path is outlined by the torches on the tactical team’s rifles, the thin beams of light bouncing with each step. They reach the end of the corridor, and the torches search the walls, looking for a release mechanism. An emergency stop button sits on the left side of the tunnel, and when it’s pressed, the wall swings open into a large, empty area.

The group slowly enters the room and takes in the surroundings. On the wall, there’s a big blue cursive script spelling out “Blue Rinse Studios,” and Gil remembers that earlier that evening, Jessica mentioned it was close to the club.

“We’re in a building next to the club — they must have been keeping them. Let’s see if anyone is still here!” Gil is practically shouting by now. 

They walk over to the opposite side of the room and come across four doors next to each other, what may have been changing rooms or an office in another life. Each door is closed, but there’s a push button next to these doors as well so Ellis and Decker open one door at a time. JT holds his breath each time the door opens, hoping that his friends are on the other side of one of them. After the last door opens, Ellis lowers his rifle and turns to Gil and JT. “All clear, sir, there’s nobody here.”

“Thanks Ellis. Can you and Decker search for another exit they might have used?”

“Will do, sir.”

JT decides to look through the rooms and see what they can find. There’s not much space to search in each one, so it doesn’t take long — all that seems to be left apart from the furniture is a set of clothes. The first room has clothing that would fit right in at the local SoulCycle, JT guesses based on a young woman’s bright patterns. It’s the next room that causes his heart to speed up. On the bed are two sets of clothes, and they’re the same clothes Bright and Powell were wearing the last night they’d been seen.

“Gil, they were definitely here!”

Gil practically runs into the room, needing to see the proof himself. He picks up Bright’s jacket and holds it for a moment before walking back into the main studio area, ready to spring into action.

“Sir!” Ellis and Decker return from their scout. “There’s a back exit which leads out to Greenwich Street— no sign of any cars or our missing guys. There’s cameras on the street, so you might get lucky with a vehicle ID.”

“Thanks, Ellis.”

JT wants to check the front of the building in case it has evidence that would help. Much to his surprise, he finds the front door unlocked and looks down the street to get his bearings. To his left is the NYPD’s van and Gil’s car with Mrs. Whitly leaning against it, looking a million miles away. The road is otherwise quiet, and JT closes his eyes to take a beat from the disappointment of missing his friends by minutes. While his eyes are closed, his mind wanders back to the white SUV he remembers seeing pull away when they arrived. The shape of the vehicle triggers a memory of the drive to the club. He looks up at the studio’s exterior and is even more certain.

“Gil! Hey, Gil!” JT walks back into the building towards his boss.

“JT, you got something?”

“When we drove up Greenwich Street, there was a white Mercedes SUV parked outside this studio. It did a U-turn when we arrived, but what are the chances it had our guys in it?”

“A good chance, JT. Do you remember the licence plate?”

“Not all of it, enough for a partial plate. But the partial plate and the make should be enough for us to narrow it down. If they’re in an SUV, maybe we should get a monitor on local airports, too. If these guys are loaded, they might be travelling by jet somewhere.”

“Great idea, JT, can you make some calls?”

“On it, boss.”

“Okay, I’ll go tell Jessica what we’ve found.” Gil walks past him, through the front entrance, and makes his way back to Mrs. Whitly, no doubt trying to sound as hopeful as possible. After a minute, she pulls towards him, and they share an embrace.  
JT unlocks his phone and starts to make frenzied calls back to the precinct and the FAA, knowing answers they need may take some time to find. After hours of waiting around, he’s finally doing something to find Powell and Bright, and he’ll be damned if he loses them a second time. 

***************

MALCOLM AND DANI

It’s been about twenty minutes since they pulled away from their family in the city, and the car ride north has been mostly quiet. Dani’s been staring out the window thinking of escape options, but looking over at Bright, she’s instantly worried. He has a thousand yard stare going, his lips moving as if he’s talking to himself, and she can see his hand shaking violently. What worries her most of all is he isn’t even trying to stop his hand shaking. It may be a byproduct of medication withdrawals or from the shock of seeing his mother. She doesn’t know for sure, but it’s out of character for it to not bother him in the slightest. Dani knows he needs meds soon. The car slows for a railroad crossing, and Dani takes her chance.

“Hey, Bright here needs to take some medication, and he hasn’t had any for days. If you want us to travel on a plane for hours, he’s gonna need it before we leave.” Malcolm doesn’t react at the mention of his name.

The woman in the front seat doesn’t turn around. “We have a schedule to keep, we can sort it out when we arrive in Florida.”

Dani is silently relieved that they aren’t flying out of the country. If she gets the chance to leave a message, at least she has something to write now. She files that away and focuses on trying to help Bright.

“Please, he’s got anxiety issues and he’s already been off his meds for days. Just look at him and tell me that you want to spend three hours on a plane while he’s in this state.”

The driver looks back and speaks up first.“I heard who these guys are from security. Francesca, this is the real deal. We don’t want them getting damaged before we get back to Mr. Torres.”

As the train cars rhythmically clack in front of them, Francesca considers Malcolm for a moment. “We can’t stop now, but tell me what he’s on and we’ll arrange some for when we land.”

“I don’t know what he’s on, I just know there’s five pills. Bright, hey Bright, can you tell me what medication you take?” Dani tries to shake his arm gently, but there’s no response.

“Bright. BRIGHT!” Still nothing. Not knowing what else to do, she leans in and plants a hard kiss on Malcolm’s lips. She waits as she feels his slack face tighten and start to return her kiss, slowly opening his mouth and letting her tongue inside. His hand comes up to cup her cheek, and the intensity of the kiss increases. Before she knows it, her hands start wandering of their own volition. She hears the sound of a throat clearing and pulls away, panting slightly.

“Save it for when we get to Florida. Now, can you tell me what medication you’re on?”

Bright clears his throat. “Have you got a pen? I want to make sure you get the right doses.”

Francesca sighs, goes into her bag, and pulls out a small notepad and pen. She hands it to Malcolm and tells him to write it down, but when he goes to put pen to paper, his hand shakes so much the names are illegible. Dani takes the pen and paper from him, asking, “May I?” Malcolm looks relieved and proceeds to spell one pharmaceutical after another, along with the milligram dosage. The barriers finally lift and the car starts to move again. Under the cover of the SUV’s tyres rumbling, Dani takes a chance. She flips over the notepad and writes a note that says “Gil, Florida Torres M +D” and waits.

A few minutes later, the car pulls up to Teterboro’s private airport. While the driver and Francesca are distracted with getting cleared to enter the airstrip, Dani rips out her note and quickly stuffs it into the crease of the seats behind her. It’s a long shot, but it’s better than nothing.

The car makes its way to a hangar where a sleek Dassault Falcon 10 jet waits. When Dani and Malcolm are released from the SUV she makes sure to block any view of the note with her body for as long as possible to avoid being seen. She knows the note remains undiscovered when the door closes behind her and feels a little more hopeful now that she’s been able to leave at least one breadcrumb for Gil to follow.

They walk up the short gangplank into the plane, and the pair are shown to seats on opposite sides of the small aisle. There are shackles underneath each seat once again, though Dani can’t quite figure out why — where else are they supposed to go? They are seated straight away. Malcolm reaches for Dani, and they clasp hands across the aisle. Dani is determined not to let go as long as he needs her, but it doesn’t last long. The driver breaks their hold and stands behind Malcolm, pinning his arms against his body. Francesca walks towards him with a syringe, and he starts to protest.

“What is that? No, you can’t give me that!”

Francesca looks unmoved by Malcolm’s pleas and jabs him anyway. “I like quiet plane rides, and your friend here tells me that’s unlikely with your history. Just relax, and we’ll be touching down in no time.” The driver lets go, and Dani scrambles to find Bright’s hand again. His eyes are wide with panic as he fights against the sedative.

“Can’t fall asleep, don’t let me sleep, I need to wake up, need….. to…… wake….. up……………”

Malcolm’s eyelids close and his body relaxes. Pleased with the outcome, Francesca takes her seat by the closed door. She calls the cockpit, and the plane taxis toward the runway. Dani is furious and knows that she’s going to be on edge the whole flight waiting for one of Malcolm’s terrors to fight its way through the sedative. As the plane speeds up and inclines into the sky, Dani watches her home tilt and fall away into the ground below, wondering if her little breadcrumb will be found in time to bring them back.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for keeping everyone waiting with this latest update, it was a killer to get right! On the plus side it's almost twice as long as my usual chapters so I hope it was worth the wait.....  
> Please check the updated tags, explicit content and slight Non-Con are in this chapter.

The plane touches down under a starry sky, and Dani is exhausted — all she wants right now is sleep. Her back aches from the flight, which was as bad as she had predicted it would be.

An hour into the flight, Malcolm had started thrashing around in a nightmare and strained against the seatbelt, his right arm knocking the side of the plane fighting an unseen foe. Dani pleaded to Francesca to help him, and Francesca’s solution was to unlock her shackles and make her deal with his display. She’d spent the next two hours holding his hands, stroking his face and mumbling sweet nothings just so he could hear her voice, which seemed to calm him. 

Kneeling awkwardly on the floor had taken its toll, and her whole body feels tense and sore. She wants nothing more than to crawl into a bed, any bed at this point, but she knows she has to be alert for the both of them right now, not knowing where an opportunity to lay a breadcrumb may lie.

While they taxi to a hangar, Dani unclips her seatbelt and tries to wake Malcolm up. 

“Bright, c’mon, Bright, you need to wake up.” 

Malcolm’s eyelids flutter slightly and he moans. 

“That’s it, Bright, come back to me, okay?” 

His attempt to open his eyes is better this time, and he squints from the brightness. His face wears a look of shock as he tries to orient himself from the strange surroundings. He’s not awake enough to remember where they are. 

“What--- where---- Dani?” 

“We’re on a plane, remember? We just landed in Florida.” 

“Florida, right.” Malcolm looks around again, and this time he remembers why he’s on a plane. He sighs and his shoulders drop, too tired to fight. 

The plane’s door opens, and the driver shuffles back to release Malcolm from his seat. He motions for the pair to stand up and follow Francesca out of the plane. The air is much warmer than New York, and it carries a slight heaviness that only comes with the humidity of the sunshine state. They walk slowly to another waiting car, this one looking more like a minivan than an SUV. There’s no shackles this time. 

They’re in the car so long that Malcolm and Dani both doze off and find themselves woken up when its rumbling stops. They don’t have any idea how long they were out for, as it’s still dark, but there’s no sign of any high-rise buildings, only a palatial European inspired terracotta mansion with wrought iron balconies. Topiaries line the driveway up to the main entrance, and Dani can hear the sound of waves crashing behind them. Security is tight with visible cameras positioned around the property — they won’t be walking out of there of their own accord unnoticed. 

Francesca motions for them to follow her, and rather than walk through the enormous entrance, they go around the mansion to a smaller building. Dani notices Francesca pull out a keycard for swipe access to open the building, yet another barrier to their escape. The door opens to a small living area and kitchenette, with doors that lead to a bedroom and bathroom. It appears unoccupied. 

Francesca looks tired when she turns to Dani. “You’ll be staying here for tonight before we move you into the main building. I need you to go and take your makeup off now so we can take your photos.” 

“What do you need photos for?” Malcolm asks.

“Passports, my dear. You can’t travel under your old names, so we will give you new ones. Start moving now, please. It’s been a long day and I want to finish up.”

Passports. Needing a passport meant leaving the country, her worst fear. Dani is getting numb from the constant waves of realisation that this is still happening, that they haven’t been found yet. 

The pair make their way to the bathroom and find wipes and washcloths to remove the makeup that they wore from the auction. Dani unpins her hair and tries to loosen it a little so she looks more like herself. Francesca stands them against the wall and snaps a few quick photos, neither one having trouble keeping their face neutral for the shot in the face of exhaustion. 

“Okay, we’ll see you in the morning. There are clothes in the dresser, food in the fridge and obviously, no tech. The door is only accessible by me, and there are no windows, so I wouldn’t spend too much time thinking about how to get out. We’ll see you in the morning, and you can meet your new owner.” 

Turning on her heel, Francesca swipes the access pad, and the door opens for her. Their driver stands between them and gives Francesca time to exit the building before following her. Dani and Malcolm watch the door close and embrace again. 

“I’m so tired, Bright, what do we do?” 

“We rest, Dani. We can’t help ourselves if we’re too tired to think clearly. I may not be able to sleep right now, but I’ll lay down with you if you want me to.” 

Dani’s face softens. “Always, Bright. I’ll always want you.” 

The styling in the bedroom is surprisingly modern. The fan provides relief from the stickiness in the air, and the cool cotton sheets are inviting. Dani finds a simple negligee to change into, Malcolm sticks to his briefs, and they climb into the queen size bed and slide under the top sheet.  
After being constantly watched for hours, it’s a relief to finally let go and forget their surroundings for a moment, just the two of them. 

Sighing, Dani rests her head on Malcolm’s shoulder and closes her eyes, hoping to chase the events of today away. It’s only a few minutes before Malcolm notices her breathing become deeper, and the tension ebbs from her body when sleep finally claims her. Dani’s presence calms Malcolm somewhat, taking his mind off the shaking in his hand and some of the thoughts that are swirling around in his head. His mind keeps casting back to the look on his mother’s face at the club. Despair, there is no other word for it. He hopes that it won’t be the last time he sees her. Malcolm knows the future of people who’ve been trafficked — they don’t usually get a happy ending. 

Malcolm eventually drifts off again, but his sleep is troubled with images of what lays ahead for him and Dani, Martin taunting him that he wouldn’t be able to get out of it. He wakes up alone, thrashing and panting, and when he looks around, he sees Dani has scooted off the bed to avoid being hit by flying limbs.

“Ugh, sorry,” Malcolm apologises. His head is pounding and his sense of touch feels heightened turns the sheets kicked down to his legs into cheap wool rather than soft cotton. Commands from his brain to his limbs fight through a thick fog to reach their destination. Being off balance without his meds is starting to hurt. 

“It’s okay, you good?” Dani starts to make her way back to the bed, the silk negligee hugging her breasts and hips distracting him from the last echoes of the dream. As she slides in under the sheet, Malcolm moves an arm across the bed, and Dani falls into his chest. Dani’s touch calms his screaming nerves, the skin-to-skin contact slows his heart rate, helps even out his breathing and he starts to relax. Once she’s cozied up, her hands drift gently over his taut chest. His cock twitches in approval. 

Malcolm regains control of his faculties as he finally shakes off the night terror that woke him up. “Under normal circumstances, I’d say this is a pretty nice way to start the day.” 

A low rumble of approval escapes from Dani, and Malcolm’s heartbeat quickens as she looks up at him. 

“I’ll bet I can make it better.” 

She moves her mouth closer to his. The messy halo of curls tickling his chest and arms sets his just-calmed nerves aflame again. He doesn’t want this fire to stop though. She reaches up for a quick kiss and her eyes search Malcolm’s face for a signal. Cupping her face he draws her closer, nipping her lip, his need making it harder than intended. Pulling away briefly, her lips part in surprise for a moment before returning to his lips to kiss him harder, allowing him to taste her. Malcolm accepts the invitation and their tongues dance together, his desire mounting with every passing second. 

Dani can feel the humidity in the air and the intensity of their embrace feels like the air is crackling around them. Breathless, she breaks their kiss and looks down at Malcolm, her hands desperate to touch every part of his body. Her fingernails rake down his chest and travel to his briefs where his cock slowly hardens with every touch. Eyes closed and moaning, he thrusts his hips up to meet her.

“Hold on there, Bright. Not so fast.” Dani wants to enjoy herself this time. 

Slipping her hands under the elastic Dani pulls his briefs off, caressing the firm muscles in his legs as they slide down. His cock springs free, and she takes it in hand, stroking his shaft and enjoying the sounds he makes at her touch. Leaning down she takes his cock in her mouth and sucks hard, moving up and down in slow movements, aiming to make this last as long as possible. 

Malcolm shudders from the sensation. Overworked nerves leave him breathless and his body jerking in desperation. He might burst apart at any moment if Dani keeps this up for much longer. It’s been a while since he’s had such attention, she feels exquisite and he wants more of her. Malcolm pulls Dani up towards him and reaches down to her clit, his fingers moving light as a feather. She’s wet and ready for him and his body aches in anticipation so he grabs his cock and guides the tip towards her. He pushes his cock gently inside her as she grinds down onto his hips, groaning in pleasure the whole way. 

Unlike the last time they had sex they take it slower this time. Malcolm takes an opportunity to feel Dani’s glorious body with both hands as they rock slowly back and forth. As his fingers follow the curve of her breasts down to her hips, Dani throws her head back and lets out the most delicious moan he’s ever heard. Her pleasure sets off a roaring in his ears. He’ll never get enough of hearing her like this. He watches his hands travel along her body, up to her breasts and her nipples, nubs hardening as he rubs them. Malcolm doesn’t know how he got this lucky. 

“God, Dani you’re incredible.” 

Dani arches her back, puffs her chest out and closes her eyes to soak it all in. Hearing Malcolm respond to her, relishing the feeling of his cock inside her is all she wants to focus on right now. She clearly likes hearing how she affects him and the way he reacts to her squeezing him, and a small smile plays across her lips. All she is focusing on is the feeling of his cock inside her and he swells in response. Tilting towards Malcolm with her eyes open again she plants a quick kiss on his mouth before travelling to his ear, nibbling lightly as she moves up and down.

“Wanna come for me baby?” she teases.

“Hell yes,” Malcolm replies, lust-filled and breathy

Malcolm shivers and they both pick up the pace. Malcolm can barely stand the pressure that’s building in his body but he holds on for her, determined that this experience be more than just a convenient fuck. 

The buzzing sensation growing inside Dani is building to agonizing levels so she tilts her pelvis and slows down slightly to get the harder, longer thrusts that will take her over the edge. Breathing heavily she cries out and seizes above him, her body shaking as she tips over the edge into sweet release. 

“Bright!” It’s all she can manage right now as a surge of power stretches down to her toes and tingles out to her fingers. The rush of orgasm fading, she gives herself a moment to bask in the sensation before she moves again, redoubling her efforts to get Malcolm to come in sweet release. The way she looks at him and feels around him, it takes no time at all and he spills inside her with a guttural sigh.

Malcolm feels like he could float away, Dani’s spent body the only thing holding him down. Gasping for breath and slicked with sweat they don’t move for a minute. Finally Dani slides off Malcolm, his come leaking down her thigh and spilling onto his stomach as she rolls back onto the bed. Staring up at the ceiling it now occurs to them that they might not get a moment like this again. 

“What do you think will happen now?” She lays on her side and uses an arm to prop up her head. 

“I hope we can stay together. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you out of my sight now.” 

The front door opens and there’s no time to hide what they’ve just done from whoever’s coming. Francesca walks into the bedroom with a security guard and her nose wrinkles. The room smells like sex and she can tell that Malcolm and Dani are naked underneath the flimsy cotton sheet draped over both of them. 

“Mr Torres wants to see you this morning. You need to get dressed in what you were wearing at the auction last night. He wants to see what his money has bought. You have twenty minutes.” Turning on her heel she leaves as quickly as she arrived. The mood broken, Dani slips off the bed and makes her way to the bathroom to shower. 

They dress in relative silence, and Dani looks for a quick breakfast in the fridge. Settling on cereal, as she figures it will sit best in her nauseous stomach, she grabs a bowl and eats it as quickly as her corset will allow. Malcolm opts for black coffee and a square of toast, which he only nibbles at. Dani can’t sit comfortably in the corset, so she stands next to the kitchen counter with Malcolm holding her waist from behind, daring the door to open. The handle finally turns, and they are greeted again by Francesca.

“Well, at least you are on time. Mr Torres will be pleased. Here’s the medication you asked for. Take it now before we leave.” She walks over to Malcolm and drops a pill bottle in his hand. Opening the bottle, he sees five pills. Some are the same size and shape of his regular meds, but some are not.

“Uh, are you sure that you’ve got the right ones in here?” Malcolm raises an eyebrow.

Francesca seems irritated by the question. “It’s what we could find at five in the morning. Just take them so we can get moving.”

“I’ll take the three I recognise. If I don’t feel any better, then I’ll take the two I don’t. You don’t want me being unpredictable on meds, trust me.”

“Fine.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
**JT**

JT hangs up his phone and walks the short distance from his desk to Gil’s office. “Gil, I’ve got a lead on the Mercedes. It’s been spotted entering Teterboro airport, and they don’t have footage of it leaving yet.”

Gil looks up from a sheaf of papers. “Hmm, the SUV’s location fits with our theory of a patron making a quick getaway. I'll call the airport and ask them to start compiling their flight logs. (could semicolon or dash this to the previous one as well if you wanted) And the DA's office in case we need a warrant. Can you bring my car around front?”

“Sure thing, boss.” JT catches the keys that Gil throws at him and heads to the car lot. 

During the car ride to the airport, Gil fields one phone call after another coordinating with officers back at the precinct on any new developments. De Silva was spotted fleeing in a separate car, and he has another team tracking that down. Tapping his fingers on his knee, Gil waits impatiently as JT negotiates with security at the airport, anxious to get to the car. Satisfied with their credentials, the gates finally open, and the car makes its way through the maze of hangars looking for the SUV he saw in the West Village. 

Gil nods his head to get JT’s attention. “JT, to the left, is that it?” 

A white Mercedes is parked off to the left, and JT is certain that it’s their target. “Yep, boss, that’s it.” 

JT pulls up behind the SUV which is parked against one of the large metal hangars, and a light is visible through a frosted window. 

Gil draws his gun. “NYPD, come out if you’re inside!” 

A shadow moves in front of the light and the door slowly opens. A man in coveralls walks out with his hands up. 

“Keep those hands where I can see them. Do you have the keys to this car?” Gil isn’t taking any chances. 

The workman looks wary of all the sudden attention. “Yes, what can I help you with, officer?” 

“Two people have been kidnapped, and we suspect they were transported in this car. I need you to open it.” Gil hoped the man would comply and they wouldn’t have to wait for a warrant.

“Okay, man, I was just going to take it back to the rental place for a quick fifty bucks. The key is on the table inside, can I go and get it?” The workman turns slowly back to the building, and Gil keeps his pistol trained on him, still unsure as to whether they are getting played. 

“Absolutely, just no sudden movements, okay? When did the people in the SUV board their plane?”

A shrug from their new friend. “A couple of hours ago.”

“Was there anybody that looked like these two?” JT pulls out two folded pieces of paper, a picture of Bright on one and a picture of Dani on the other. The man studies the pages before he starts to nod. 

“Yeah, I recognise them. They got on with a lady and a big guy. Here ya go.” There’s a loud beep, and the SUV is unlocked. JT leans in for any clues as to whether Dani and Bright had been in the car. The shackles on the floor are a grim sight, yet they confirm JT’s suspicions, this was the car they’d been transported in. Running his hands over the back seat causes his fingers to graze something thin stuffed between the cushions. Further inspection reveals a note. He reads the familiar scrawl and can hardly believe his eyes, Powell got them a message. 

“Gil, I got something! Dani wrote you a note.” JT passes the small piece of paper over to Gil so he can see the words himself. 

“Gil Florida Torres M and D. That’s our girl!” Gil is practically shouting, they have a tangible lead to follow and his heart is racing in relief. “We need to get a warrant for the owner’s records of this hangar as well as the flight records. Call the precinct and get them to start pulling information on people with the surname Torres in Florida.” 

JT picks up Gil’s train of thought. “Once we have the owner’s information and a location on the plane’s destination in Florida, we can start narrowing it down.” 

“Uh, can I go now?” The ground staffer has been listening in to Gil and JT and realises that it may not be in his best interest to stick around. 

Gil snorts. “No chance, bud. You’re gonna need to provide a description of everyone who got on that plane, first. Now, I suggest you start talking.” 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**MALCOLM AND DANI**

The walk up to the mansion is a short one, and the group gains entry through a set of wooden french doors into an opulent living space. To the right of the entry is a large curved staircase. They head towards it, and Malcolm is surprised at how warm the marble tiles feel beneath his bare feet. Walking up the shiny marble stairs in stilettos is an effort for Dani, and she gives him a small smile as he proffers an arm to help her ascend to the second level. A large hallway greets them, sunlight streaming through full length windows from rooms on both sides. Sounds emanate from a room on the left. Francesca stops them before the entrance and turns to Malcolm. 

“Mr. Torres did not intend to purchase you last night, so you will need to impress him. If he does not want to keep you, then you will not see your precious ‘friend’ again after today.”

Malcolm glances at Dani, uneasy at this latest tidbit of news. “And how exactly do I do that?” 

Francesca shrugs. “That is not for me to say. Come.” 

Dani reaches for Malcolm’s hand, and he grasps it tightly as they follow Francesca into the lounge area, heart thumping out of his chest while he waits for the meds he’s just taken to kick in. He needs Dani’s touch like an anchor grounding him to reality. Their hands remain clasped as they walk into the room and meet the elusive Mr. Torres. 

Whatever image Malcolm's mind's eye had thought of for a man that buys people, it wasn't this. A man of average height sits reading a newspaper on a three-seater couch, his olive arms holding up the newspaper and only his wavy, black slicked back hair is visible. Cream chinos and a pair of boat shoes poke out from the bottom of the newspaper pages. Simple luxury.

“How was the flight, my dearest Francesca?” His accent sounds Latin American to Malcolm’s ear. 

Francesca replies quickly, “It was fine, sir. May I present your purchases from last night, Mr Torres.” 

The newspaper rustles, and a face comes into view. A man in his 30’s with a rounded face, large questioning eyes, soft cheekbones, and a flattened nose greets them. “Purchases? What do you mean ‘purchases?’” Torres’ mouth is pressed into a firm line, Francesca hadn’t been lying about Malcolm not being part of his plan. 

“Yes, De Silva presented them as a package. I think you’ll be pleased, Mr Torres, they have quite the connection.” Francesca waves an arm towards Dani and motions for her to step closer. 

Stilettos echo off the marble floors as Dani steps forward, the mask of contempt on her face from the night before. She lifts her chin to emphasise the fact that she’s having to look down at him, using every inch of her height to ward off any suggestions that she will go quietly into that good night. They stare at one another in silence for almost a minute, his entourage getting uncomfortable with the silence and starting to fidget. Torres breaks the tension with a sly grin. “Well, you’ll do nicely. Let’s see the other one.” 

Malcolm uses the minute of silence to read the expressions of everyone in the room, and part of him is thrilled at the opportunity to profile once again. He can see that Torres likes how Dani presents as a dominant personality, that his original desire that started this whole ordeal for them has been fulfilled. Malcolm won’t be able to be as dominant based on Torres’ reaction to the news that Dani wasn’t the only one bought last night. Deciding to lean in to the character he portrayed last night, he steps forward, keeping his head down before looking up slowly to meet the man’s gaze. 

Torres looks him up and down, undecided about something. “Take your jacket off.” 

“Excuse me?” Malcolm hopes he’s misheard Torres.

“If you want to stay, you’ll do as I ask. Take. Your. Jacket. Off.” The dark look in Torres’ eyes is not one to test right now. 

Uncomfortable with all eyes on him, Malcolm reaches for the button on his suit jacket and shrugs it off his shoulders, leaving only the harness on his upper body. He hands the jacket to Dani, brings his hands together in front of him, and waits. 

“Come here.” Torres’s arm is outstretched towards him, and Malcolm walks across the room to meet it. A hand goes straight to his waist and starts feeling around his abdomen before moving towards his ass. Malcolm manages to suppress a groan of embarrassment as he’s felt up by a complete stranger, knowing that any reaction from him would not help his cause. 

“Kneel.” Malcolm obliges, looking anywhere but at the man in front of him. Two hands now sweep along his collarbones, down to his biceps, and back before a hand pulls his chin up so Malcolm has to meet his gaze. It’s dark and hungry. Torres drops his hand and relaxes back onto the sofa. 

“Beautiful. It’s rare for me these days to take a man, but I’ll make an exception for you. You can join your friend over there.” 

Relieved to be free of Torres’ wandering hands, Malcolm quickly rejoins Dani and retakes her hand. Torres notices the touch and smirks. 

“Your lives as you knew them are over. You are here for my entertainment, and you will follow me wherever I go. You-” Torres nods at Dani. “will be known as twelve and you-” Torres nods at Malcolm. “will be known as three.” 

_Oh, good_ , Malcolm thinks. _Identifying people by numbers is always a good sign._

“You will accompany me on my next trip. We leave tomorrow, once we get your papers finished. Francesca will show you to my toy’s quarters and explain the house rules. You will wait there until I call for you. I have business to attend to, but you will come to me again this afternoon where we can get acquainted in a more private setting. That will be all.” 

Francesca nods and then turns to Malcolm and Dani, who look a little shell-shocked. “Twelve, three, follow me.” She walks out of the room, not bothering to check if her charges are following or not. She expects them to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thanks to the wonderful [sonshineandshowers](/users/%5Bsonshineandshowers%5D/) and [Ponderosa](/users/%5BPonderosa%5D/) for their awesome help in making this chapter the absolute best it could be. If you would like to chat about all things Prodigal Son you can find me on the [PSon Trash Server!](https://discord.gg/zdVcWu)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for continuing this journey with me, there's only two more chapters to go in this adventure so hold on tight!

**JT**

It’s 6am, and the precinct is buzzing with phones ringing and extra officers for this time of the morning. It’s all hands on deck while the department is chasing down leads to recover the precinct’s missing team members and track down their mystery auctioneer. Chaotic shouting bounces off the glass partitions, and JT does his best to filter through the collected intel that could turn into a tangible lead.

After an hour of looking at the flight manifests and residential records side by side, he’s confident that he’s found the identity of the unknown buyer, so he jumps up from his desk and barrels towards Gil’s office. A tiny voice wonders if he’s jumping to conclusions too quickly, but he swats the thought away like a fly. Doubt has no place in his mind right now. 

“Gil, I think we’ve got our guy.” JT dumps two documents on top of a paper pile so large one wonders how many trees were culled on their way to this shrine of police work. 

Gil picks up a piece of paper in each hand. “What am I looking at right now?” 

JT jabs a finger at each page in turn. “Flight manifests from Teterboro and residential records for Florida. The plane our witness saw landed in Fort Meyers this morning so Dani was right about the location. The plane parked in the hangar where we found the SUV is on a list of diplomatic charters used by the Guatemalan government. Further searching of the house records found a mansion on Captiva Island owned by the Guatemalan government only an hour away from the airport. I’m thinking that’s where they must have been taken.”

“So this fits in with the clues that Dani left in her note- great work JT.” Gil leans back in his chair, holding on to the papers. 

“That’s not all, boss. I checked with the State Department, and they gave me a list of known staffers in the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry and there was a match for one Julio Torres on the list. There’s no way that the government assets and Torres’s name aren’t linked somehow.”

As JT voices his theory out loud, he’s even more sure that this is where his teammates haves been taken.

Gil looks at the papers and nods once. “Call back your contact at the State Department and see how we go about getting our people back.”

“On it, boss.” 

*********************

“Damnit!” JT slams the phone down and puts his head in his hands, palms rubbing over his short buzz cut. Ignoring the stares from his colleagues, he charges towards Gil’s office, barging through the slightly open door without knocking. 

“We can’t go and get them.” JT is pacing the floor with his fists clenched, unable to let go of the frustration building inside him. 

“Let me guess, diplomacy issues?” Gil had seen this dynamic play out before. 

“My buddy at the State Department tells me that even if we think they are in the compound on Captiva Island, they can’t step foot on the grounds because it’s technically Guatemalan soil. The address is documented as a diplomatic safe house; the US has no jurisdiction over the people who are inside it. They could be trapped in there, and we can’t break down the door to find out.” 

Gil stares at his mountain of papers, searching for a plan. “Well, we gotta figure out a different way to get ‘em back. Can you get on the phone with local law enforcement and see what kind of intel or eyes they can get for us on this compound?” 

“Alright, I’ll give them a call.” JT stalks out of Gil’s office, ready for another battle on the landline. 

*********************

JT slams his phone down again, and he wonders if they’re going to need to find him a new handset soon. He’s taking his frustration out on the receiver, a part of him knowing that police work can be frustrating and full of dead ends, but today is not a day he’s willing to roll with the punches. 

The Sanibel PD’s office was a bust. His call to the officers in the precinct told him that the place was heavily fortified and well guarded. No attempts at surveillance had been successful, and while they suspected illegal activity was happening, they had no way of proving it. 

Looking at the phone one more time and feeling an overwhelming desire to throw it across the room, JT stands up and heads to the break room. Coffee. He needs something hot to distract him from the feelings of helplessness that grow with every failed phone call. Sorting through the odd assortment of mugs looking for his favourite cobalt blue NY1 one, he feels a buzzing in his pocket. It must be an email notification. Deciding to make his coffee first, he leans against the bench in the kitchen, mug in hand while scrolling through the message. 

“Oh, man. GIL!” JT slams the mug down on the counter, ignoring the splash of hot coffee that hits his hand as he bolts towards Gil’s office again, bursting through the door when he gets there. 

“We can get ‘em, we can get ‘em, Gil!” 

Gil waits for more information, then gestures his hand for JT to continue. 

“When I spoke to the guy at Fort Meyers Airport this morning, I asked them to let me know if the plane we’re tracking files any flight plans. I just got an email from the guy. The plane Bright and Powell were on just filed a new flight plan for 6am tomorrow morning, heading to Villa Nueva in Guatemala. The guy might be heading home, and if he takes Bright and Powell with him, we could lose any chance of bringing them back. But we know they need to come back to the plane so we can stake out the airport.” 

A look of relief flashes over Gil’s face, and JT realises that he wasn’t the only one feeling like the rest of their team was slipping away. “This is great, JT. Get me the number for the Chief at Sanibel, and I’ll start making calls.” Gil turns to his computer to start the coordination effort, but stops when JT doesn’t move. “Is there something else?” 

“I wanna go down there, Gil. One of us should be there if we can get ‘em back.” JT isn’t usually this impulsive, but he can’t leave any of his team behind. “It’s only 3 o’clock now; I can get there by tonight and wait for them long before they are supposed to arrive.” JT stands his ground and waits for Gil’s answer.

“Alright. Let’s get you on a flight to Florida ASAP, and I’ll sort out a contact for you to coordinate with when you get there.”

“Thanks, Gil.” JT leaves his office and grabs his keys and wallet before heading out of the precinct. His limbs feel jittery even though he didn’t drink the coffee in the break room. JT surmises it must be the adrenaline from their discovery coursing through his body. Knowing what will calm him down, JT pulls out his phone and puts a call through to Tally. It only takes a couple of rings for her to answer.

“Hey, baby, what’s happening? Is there any news on Dani and Malcolm?” JT can hear the concern in Tally’s voice; they’ve barely seen each other since his partners were taken. 

“Yeah, babe, we think we’ve tracked ‘em down to an airport in Florida. They might be flying out of the country tomorrow, so we’re gonna try and rescue them before they get on the plane.” JT pauses to take a deep breath. “I’m gonna head down there, Tal. I need to be there when we find them.” 

JT can hear Tally murmur on the other end of the line. “Mmmmm I know, baby; you need to go. When do you leave?” 

“I’m not sure. Gil’s gonna get me a flight while I go home to pack. Bright and Powell’s flight is booked for 6am, so with any luck we’ll be home about this time tomorrow.” 

“Okay, keep me posted if there’s any updates. And be careful. I love you.”

“Love you too, babe.” JT disconnects the call and feels his heart rate returning to normal levels. It’s about twenty minutes to his apartment, and when he arrives, a booking confirmation for a flight to Miami is waiting in his inbox; he’s got three hours to kill before his flight leaves. With a destination and a plan, there’s nothing to do but wait it out in their lounge room. Luckily for him, this kind of waiting is something JT’s had a lot of practice with while he was in the service. Duffel packed and phone charged, he tries to keep his mind clear, refusing to waste energy on playing a game of ‘what-if’ with himself. Forty five minutes later, Gil calls him with a contact in Fort Meyers and gives him an update on the efforts to track down De Silva. There is none — it’s like the guy’s a ghost. By the time he wraps up with Gil, it’s time to head to the airport. 

******************************************

**DANI AND MALCOLM**

After their introduction with Torres, Dani and Malcolm are escorted back to the ground floor of the mansion and walk past an open plan kitchen where two women are preparing a meal. The sound of chopping stops as they approach, and their heads snap up at the oncoming procession. Dani watches the women’s reactions as they walk past, and when they catch sight of Malcolm half naked, their jaws drop. Apparently the sight of men in his state of undress was unusual around here.

The women are dressed for the humidity, wearing casual singlets and cutoff shorts that would look right at home on the beach during spring break. Dani is pretty certain that they are equally trapped here. The group continues past the kitchen and wanders down a hallway that leads to a series of rooms that look more like dormitories, smaller in size than the other places they’d seen in the house. A bed and a small chest of drawers are the only pieces of furniture, devoid of any personality or style. As they enter one of the rooms, Francesca starts rattling off a well-rehearsed speech for the newcomers. 

“There are two drawers of clothes: one for everyday wear and one for what you will be required to wear around Mr Torres. I’m afraid I’ll have to do some digging for your wardrobe, three; it’s been a while since we’ve had a man in the house.” 

“Oh, great. Luckily it’s so hot here, I’m sure I won’t mind walking around half naked for a while.” His meds haven’t quite kicked in yet, and Malcolm can’t stop the words before they’re out of his mouth.

Francesca’s stare turns cold. “I can take your pants while you wait if that would be your preference.”

Dani tries her best to stop Malcolm from saying something that can be used against them, murmuring quietly, “Probably not the best idea to antagonise the person about to find you something to wear, Bright.” 

Miraculously, he takes the hint and smiles apologetically. “The pants are fine, thanks.” 

Taking a deep breath and sighing in exasperation, Francesca resumes her spiel. “You are free to move around this floor of the house — the second floor is only accessible by invitation. You are not to leave the house without an escort. If you are found outside the house without an escort, you will not return. Should you doubt the severity of these rules, ask the other girls what happened to the one you are here to replace. The house is constantly monitored by security; it would be unwise to try anything to attract attention. If Mr Torres requires your presence, you will be sent for, and you will have five minutes to pick something to wear from this drawer before you are shown upstairs. Under no circumstances will you keep Mr Torres waiting. Understood?”

Dual heads bob in confirmation.

“Excellent.” Turning on her heel, Francesca exits the room and leaves the pair to themselves. Inspecting the chest of drawers turns up one drawer of casual clothes and one drawer of lingerie and slips, no guesses required as to which drawer Mr Torres would want clothes selected from. Relieved to find linen shorts and a low scoop neck singlet, Dani grabs them, wanting to change as soon as possible. She turns away from Malcolm, expecting him to start undoing the laces on her corset, but he’s not there. Looking over her shoulder, she can see him staring off into space with his right hand trembling. She calls out softly, “Bright, I need some help. One more time with the laces.”

“Hmm. Right.” Malcolm snaps out of his daydream and comes to Dani’s aid. Once her corset is off, he unbuckles his harness and rolls his shoulders to relax while Dani gets dressed again. His whole body looks tense with no clothes to hide behind. The only thing she can think to do is grab hold of him, so she wraps her arms around his waist, clasping them behind his back and kissing his bare chest. Dani feels the tension he’s been holding on to ebbing away as they embrace. After a moment, she looks into Malcolm’s eyes and sees them looking clearer than they had been the minute before; she guesses the meds are starting to kick in.

Throwing her head towards the doorway, Dani asks “Wanna go make some friends in the kitchen, try and get some intel? Or give the girls something to gawk at? They seemed pretty happy with you on the walk through.”

Malcolm scoffs and smiles “Sure. We’ve been stared at by everyone else, what’s two more people in the grand scheme of things?”

*********************

Lounging on one of the loveseats in the living area while staring at the ocean through a set of enormous french doors, Dani can almost convince herself that they’ve ended up on a sweepstakes holiday rather than being sold into some sort of harem. She’s curled up against Bright, his fingers absently carding her hair. 

It’s been a couple of hours since they were left to their own devices. Their attempts to make friends with the two girls in the kitchen had been a spectacular failure. Both girls clammed up the second they tried to ask about who Torres was and what he wanted from them. The only information they could extract was that the girls had been travelling with Torres for months, and that they rarely stay in one city longer than a week. Private airstrips and chauffeured cars made guessing the locations of these cities difficult — all they could say is that they recognised Spanish on some of the billboards and buildings.

When it became abundantly clear they didn’t have enough information to try and escape the mansion, Dani had decided to take a seat and enjoy the view for a while. They’d been cooped up in windowless rooms for days — it was nice to just sit back and enjoy the sunshine glistening off the water from the ocean below. Forget what was waiting for them in the afternoon. 

All too soon, a male voice booms down from the floor above. “Three, twelve, Mr Torres wants to see you. Get dressed and meet me at the bottom of the stairs in five.” 

Dani huffs and walks towards the bunk room they’d been in earlier, grabbing the most demure slip she could find to change into from the drawer of lingerie. It’s black satin with a plunging v-shaped neckline and a hem that stops five inches above her knees. Bright has far fewer options, so he takes a chance on keeping the khaki shorts and tank top Francesca had managed to find earlier.

As the guard escorts them up the stairs to a closed door, Dani’s heart is in her throat with anxiety but she tries not to show it. Three knocks from the guard sees the door open, and with a not-so-friendly shove, they get pushed into the room. 

Entering the dark room, the first impression Dani has is that it feels out of place with the rest of the airy mansion. The windows are shuttered with block out blinds, the lighting is limited to a couple of wall sconces, and there are cuffs littered around the room on the walls and the furniture. A queen size bed sits against the wall on the right, restraints littering the headboard and sides of the frame. A closed wardrobe occupies a space on the left wall, and Dani suspects it’s not storing clothes. This room is all about control, and they won’t be the ones with it. Torres has removed his shirt and changed into a silk pair of boxers, and Dani can see his already half hard cock straining the fabric. This does not bode well. 

“ _Doce, tres_ , I’m so pleased you could join me this afternoon. We are going to get to know each other today. I’m sure you know by now that I was specifically looking for someone like you, _tres_ will help me in that respect, won’t you _tres_?” The look Torres gives Malcolm while he’s talking makes Dani’s skin crawl.

Malcolm spits back a reply. “You don’t know Dani; I’m not helping with anything.” 

Torres’s face hardens, and his gaze looks past Malcolm to the guard behind them. Before Dani knows what’s happening, the guard hits Malcolm on the back of his head and he slumps to his knees, momentarily dazed. Dani suddenly has her elbows pinned to her side by the guard behind her, and feeling threatened, she instinctively steps backward to try and find a foot to jab with her heels. The stomp misses its mark, and all it earns her is a jarring sensation that travels up her leg and into her back. She finds herself being dragged backwards towards the wall, and her wrists are snapped into a set of cuffs just to the right of the doorway. There’s little give in the cool metal. She’s trapped.

Meanwhile, Torres has grabbed Malcolm by the wrist and dragged him towards the bed, throwing him onto the mattress with a strength that belies his stature. Malcolm thrashes wildly, but he’s no match for their captor. Grunts from the two men fill the air as Torres yanks Malcolm’s arms towards the headboard and secures them with a set of cuffs, metallic and biting. Job done, the guard exits the room and closes the door behind him. Stepping back away from the bed to admire his handiwork, Torres puts his hands on his hips and turns to Dani. 

“Well, that was more fun than I expected. So much passion.” Torres starts towards Dani and she backs up while her instincts scream at her to keep as much distance between her and Torres. The wall puts a stop to that, and Torres closes the gap, lust obvious in his eyes. Allowing Torres to reach up to her face and cup her cheek, she holds down the bile rising in her throat from the adrenaline coursing through her system and lifts her knee violently, straight into his half hard cock. Torres bends over in agony, his mouth hanging open in a silent scream. 

For a moment, Dani feels defiant. “You don’t know me. I won’t break. Don’t touch me again.” 

Taking advantage of the silence, Dani calls to Malcolm, “Bright, you with me?” 

“Yah, just a bit dizzy.” Malcolm’s breathing is still heavy as he tries to get his equilibrium back, but he’s with her.

Dani draws all the strength she can into her expression, daring Torres to try something, but it’s gone in an instant when Torres snaps his head up, his eyes black with fury. 

“SHUT UP!!!!” Torres staggers up from the floor and backhands Dani so hard stars momentarily flash across her vision. “You will both pay for that display. You are my playthings; you don't get to decide anything here.” 

“I wouldn’t bet on that, Torres; Dani’s from the Bronx.” Malcolm baits the man to get his attention away from Dani. It works, and after a slow shuffle back to the bed, he also gets a slap to the face. Torres sits on the edge of the bed to recover. He almost looks embarrassed, and Dani wonders if maybe he’s not used to any real show of resistance in this room. It’s clear that whatever Torres had in mind for the afternoon won’t be happening now; he’s still hunched over and clutching his cock and balls, making sure they’re still attached. The trio remain silent for a minute, each recovering from their own hits with deep breaths. When the stars in her eyes subside, Dani starts searching for a weapon or something to help her get out of these cuffs. Torres catches her movements in his periphery and whips his head around, sneering. 

“You can’t get out of here unless I say so. While you may have bought yourself some time _la puta_ , it will not stop what I have planned for you.” Revenge seeps into their captor’s voice.

Dani’s not done yet. “I can go all day, try me.” 

A wry smile breaks out on Torres’ face. “Do you know why I put you there next to the door?” 

Dani is uncomfortable with the grin on his face, but she puts on a brave front. “Your friend didn’t fancy a fight to cross the room with me?” 

Torres snorts. “No, it’s because I have a rule in this room. If anyone else but me is standing in this doorway when it opens, Roberto outside has orders to kill them. That’s why I always have more than one toy. You threaten the life of one, and it makes the other much more compliant.” He looks quite proud of his manipulations.

Dani’s starting to realise why the girls downstairs didn’t do much talking — this guy is unhinged. Torres walks towards the door and stands behind it, his hand on the doorknob.

“If I open this door right now, Roberto will shoot you without even blinking. Your life will be gone like _that._ ” He clicks his fingers for effect. All Dani can do is glare, and even though her heart is thumping like a jackhammer, she won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear. There’s a click as the doorknob is turned, and Dani’s breath catches as she looks down at Torres’s hand, waiting for it to move. Regaining her nerve, she looks back up at Torres and sees his smile grow wider.  
“That’s my little _puta_. You remember that the next time you want to take a swing at me.” Torres steps into the gap between the door and Dani before opening it. Over his shoulder, Dani can see Roberto aiming his pistol at the doorway. He hadn’t been bluffing about that.

“Roberto, come help me with _doce_.” Torres walks to the wardrobe and opens the doors to reveal rope, leather riding crops, and a variety of sex toys. Dani can hear the clinking of metal, and he searches for something before finally brandishing two bit gags.

“You may think you’ve won today, but I believe you both need some time to think about how you want your lives to be with me: easy or hard. You can stay here until I decide I’m finished with you for today, but you haven’t earned the right to talk. Not yet.”

Torres fastens the gag around Dani’s mouth while Roberto holds her still and clips a smooth metal case around the buckle once it’s fastened. Dani reaches for the gag, but her cuffs won’t reach her head while she is forced to stand. There’s no way for her to take it off, and she feels humiliated. Her cheeks flush with anger.

Taking a step back, Torres admires his handiwork. “Si, much better.” The men turn their attention to Malcolm, and he starts kicking in anticipation of what’s coming. Dani can’t see much while the men obscure her view but she watches Roberto’s arm pull back with a clenched fist before she hears a grunt as it connects with Malcolm’s face. They make quick work of buckling the gag on, and the room is quiet but for the sound of Malcolm’s rapid breathing.

Walking gingerly towards the hall, Torres exits through the doorway and starts to pull the door behind him. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to the wonderful [sonshineandshowers](/users/sonshineandshowers) for beta'ing this chapter. If you would like to hang out with some awesome artists please join me on the [Prodigal Whump](https://discord.gg/g4kTka) and [PSon Trash](https://discord.gg/wZ4QQr) (18+) servers on Discord!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read the fic warnings, this chapter contains rape. If this is something that may cause distress I would suggest skipping Malcolm’s section and going straight to JT’s, or skipping this chapter altogether and head straight to the next. Take care of yourself while reading.

Chapter 12

**TORRES**

Waddling slowly down the hallway to his bedroom, Torres is seething. His toys aren’t supposed to fight him, they are supposed to do whatever he tells them to. They certainly don’t aim for his _cajones_ when they’re chained to a wall. He didn’t pay good money to get assaulted. 

He likes a bit of fire, a bit of _agallas_ , but these two seem to have more than most. When he usually plays with his toys for the first time, they are so upset when they arrive that they forget to fight; he must ask Francesca what their deal is later. 

_Doce_ would pay for her insubordination later.

He would make _tres_ pay on her behalf.

But first, he needs to ice his sore prick. He’ll give it an hour, but he knows there is a good chance that he won’t claim either of his new toys tonight. That will have to wait until they get home to Guatemala tomorrow. 

But he _will_ claim them. _He_ will be the first one inside them, and no knee will get between Julio Torres and what is rightfully his.

**MALCOLM**

For the first few minutes after the door closes, he and Dani just stare at each other, chests heaving from their confrontation with Torres as the adrenaline works its way out of their systems.

Once it tapers off, there is nothing to do but stare, and Malcolm keeps his eyes locked on Dani. It’s hard to tell how she is feeling with the gag on, and the control he has on his mind isn’t as sharp as usual from the knock to his head. Malcolm tries to keep the frustration out of his expression, but he isn’t sure he is successful as it isn’t long before Dani looks away.

He hates feeling helpless.

A tingly feeling starts in his fingers due to the pressure of the cuffs on his wrists, so with nothing better to do, he rolls over and tries to get a good look at the chains attached to the headboard. There’s about two feet of chain on each cuff, enough for him to reach the back of the gag with a bit of manoeuvring. Inching slowly upwards, his hands reach around the back of his head to grasp for the buckle to undo, but he finds only the texture of smooth, brushed steel. Torres has made sure that they can’t take the gags off.

Despair starts to grow like a stone in the pit of his stomach. He takes a beat to think of something he can control right now and decides that sitting up rather than laying down might be a good start. With a bit of wriggling, he manages to reach the top of the headboard. It’s a slow progression to arrive at sitting upright, the world occasionally tilting as he does so. Breathing heavily at the exertion, he looks over to Dani to check in on her. She’s also moved, sitting on her bottom with her legs stretched out in front of her. There’s a small amount of grunting as she tries to reach the back of her gag, but her attempts are also fruitless.

The room goes still for a time.

There’s no clock to tell the time, but based on how sore his jaw is, he guesses it’s been a half hour, maybe forty-five minutes since Torres left them chained up in the room. What started as a mild ache in his jaw has now worked its way up into a full-blown spasm. He desperately needs to move his jaw, but the bit makes it impossible. Needing a distraction, he starts the only thing he can think of- making lists and counting things.

He’s halfway through listing his weapons collection in age order when the door creaks open and Roberto steps back into the room. Dani tries to kick in his direction as soon as he walks in, but he stands out of range and unbuckles the gag at the back of her head.

Roberto moves towards Malcolm, and he starts kicking out with his legs, trying to get a foot to land somewhere. The guard grabs his legs with the ease of someone who’s practiced in the motion and pulls Malcolm back to the middle of the bed. Holding his legs one-handed, Roberto reaches down to the edge of the bed and snaps a cuff on his left ankle before walking around to the other side of the bed to do the same to his right.

Now he really is stuck.

Feeling nauseous from the fight and the horror of being forced into such a vulnerable position, Malcolm doesn’t resist when Roberto pushes his head to the side to undo the gag. His jaw is locked from being held open for so long, and it takes a few seconds for his mouth to comply with the signals he’s sending to shut his mouth.

Roberto stands between the two captives and delivers a brief message.

“Mr Torres is on his way.”

Malcolm figures the newfound restriction on his body and what he glimpsed in the cupboard across from the bed can’t be good news for him right now. He waits until Roberto closes the door again before he starts to hyperventilate. In, out, in, out, chest heaving and lungs craving oxygen but not getting any. Before his vision starts to blacken, Dani calls out slowly from across the room.

“Bright, I’m here, it’s okay, I’m here.”

Dani repeats this mantra over and over until Malcolm eventually gets his breathing under control, though a thick band of dread pulls tightly across his chest. When he feels strong enough to look over at Dani, and what he sees breaks his heart. She’s equally as trapped as him against the wall, yet she’s holding it together. The shame of being unable to protect her, to protect himself, rolls over him like a wave.

“I’m sorry.” It’s all he can think of to say.

“I know,” she replies.

The door opens again and Torres walks in, his gait more upright that it had been when he walked out. He’s also changed clothes: he’s now sporting a white tank top and the satin boxers have been replaced by a pair of tan chinos. Seeing more clothes on the man than last time makes the band of dread relax ever so slightly, but the look on Torres’ face can’t convince him to lose it all together. Torres looks at Malcolm like a lion who’s caught his prey.

A lion who’s hungry.

“ _Doce, tres,_ how are we feeling?” Torres asks sweetly. Two glares are all he gets in response.

“Now, that wasn’t how I wanted our relationship to start earlier. You need to play nicely, remember what you’re here for, _si?_ ”

Dani answers, “We’re not here for anything you want, you asshole.” Torres walks over and slaps Dani for the second time today.  
“That’s a shame, my _puta_ , it looks like you want to learn the hard way. You get comfortable now. This could take a while.”

Torres turns his attention back to Malcolm, who’s got no leeway to go anywhere. He strains uselessly against the chains as if it will make a difference.

“Now, it’s been a while since I’ve had a man to play with-, I must say I’m looking forward to our time tonight. My normal plans have been somewhat interrupted due to a certain knee, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find a way to have fun. First things first though- I need to see the rest of you. Let’s get these clothes off, shall we?”

Torres walks to the cupboard and pulls out a pair of fabric scissors. He mounts the end of the bed and straddles Malcolm at the knees, the scissors cutting his shorts from the hem up towards his waist. Malcolm stays stock still, stomach sucked in slightly as if the tiny movement might create more distance between him and the scissors. The blades make fast work of the cotton fabric and the shorts fall away, leaving his briefs intact. Malcolm looks to Torres, trying to read where this is going.

“I like it when you don’t move, _tres_. So pretty. Now, what about this top?” Torres moves up to Malcolm’s hips, the weight of him pushing down on his thighs before he leans down to continue.

The scissors come down again and work swiftly from Malcolm’s abdomen to the scoop of the neck, then it’s two quick snips on each strap and it’s gone. The only outfit Malcolm had is now in pieces.

“And now for the last piece.” One quick motion, and his underwear is gone. He’s now completely naked with Torres on top of him. The scissors get dropped and greedy hands start to roam over his chest and hips, tracing lines over his cock.

“Let’s see if we can’t get you to come and play,” teases Torres.

Malcolm tries to think of anything to stop his body responding to the patterns Torres is making over his chest and the gentle rocking back and forth above him, but biology is a hard thing to trick, and he can feel his cock getting harder with every touch. The betrayal of his own body is mortifying. He can’t look at the man violating him; Malcolm won’t give him the satisfaction of being able to see how he feels while he is so helpless to Torres’ advances. Malcolm knows that’s what he wants to see, and he’ll be damned if he gives it to him willingly. He turns his head away from Torres towards Dani, needing to reassure her it’s okay, but Torres grabs his chin and forces his face back towards him.

“Ah, ah, ah, look at me _tres_.” He calls over his shoulder to Dani, “Watch closely, _doce_ , this is on you.”

Torres leans down, still holding Malcolm’s chin, and kisses him forcibly. The kiss isn’t about intimacy- it’s a claim of ownership. It turns Malcolm’s stomach to ice, his face freezing so Torres can’t deepen the kiss.

“Such pretty lips, _tres_. I’m going to enjoy kissing them. Now let’s look at all of you.”

Torres grabs Malcolm's cock and his hand moves up and down quickly to get Malcolm to come. Malcolm casts his mind elsewhere - somewhere, anywhere but here.. He thinks back to mere hours ago when he was sitting with Dani in the living room, enjoying the ocean view. Remembering the scent of her hair when her head was tucked just under his chin, he’d give anything to be back there now.

His eyes look upward, but are unseeing of the man hovering above his head, threatening all the ways he will make Malcolm pay for Dani’s indiscretion, all the while pumping his hand over Malcolm’s cock, the movements getting rougher the longer Torres sits above him. The pressure is building in his body, and despite every effort he makes to avoid being complicit, Malcolm’s hips start to thrust on instinct, his cock aching for release. 

He’s going to come, and there’s nothing he can do to stop it.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, No…..ugh…. stop……” Malcolm begs.

And then there’s nothing. The pressure on his cock disappears as Torres lets go. Head cocked, their captor remains seated on top of Malcolm, observing him for a moment before hopping off the bed.

Relief floods through Malcolm, and a tiny piece of him hopes that this is as bad as it gets today.

He looks down to the foot of the bed where Torres is standing with one foot resting on the bed, trying to read their captor’s expression. He wishes he hadn’t. The man resembles Rodin’s the Thinker, observing him like one would a piece of art.

“Well, _tres_ , I’m impressed. But you didn’t think it would be this easy, did you? We’ve got a whole night to fill. No, you need to be punished. I think it’s time I pulled out some other types of toys, you wait right there.”

As if he had any option.

There’s a scrape of a drawer opening and Torres rummages around inside before pulling out a plug and a riding crop.

“Now, let’s see how long I can make this last.” Torres smirks.

“Hey! You’ve got two of us here, don’t you wanna do something to me, too?” yells Dani.

Malcolm shakes his head. “No, Dani. It’s o-“ he doesn’t get to finish his sentence as Torres clasps his thick hand around Malcolm’s neck, choking off his air supply. Torres leans in close enough for Malcolm to feel the man’s hot breath on his skin.

“Her name is _doce_ , if you call her by that name again you will regret it. Do you understand me?”

A rapid head nod is all Malcolm can manage in reply, and after a few more seconds, Torres releases him. Air whooshes back into his burning lungs and he gulps it down.

“Now, where were we?”

***********************************************

The next hour is one of the worst things that Dani has ever had to endure. Dani screams at Torres to stop as he pushes the plug into Malcolm’s ass and sets it to vibrate, sending his already overstimulated body into convulsions. Malcolm screams for it to stop, and then just as before, when he is seconds away from a climax, Torres stops, denying him the release his body so desperately craves. Torres repeats this process over and over again, whipping Malcolm occasionally using the riding crop to experiment with how Malcolm reacts.

“So many different sounds! If your friend hadn’t kneed me, I would take you right now,” coos Torres.

Malcolm is barely conscious by this point, every touch sending a stabbing sensation through his body, and he can barely focus. His body needs release, and the repeated denials as well as the head knock make his thoughts fuzzy and disorganised. 

Torres continues, “Now, normally I would let you finish; however, tonight is all about learning a lesson. So you’re going to spend the night in here, _tres_ , like the pretty present you are. Can’t have you finishing yourself off downstairs, can we? _Doce_ will go back to join my other toys. Who knows, maybe I’ll feel well enough to pay a little nighttime visit to you tonight, hey?”

Malcolm whimpers in his haze of pain; he can’t imagine spending any more time in this god-awful room.

“No……..please……” begs Malcolm.

Torres crosses his arms and walks his way over to Dani.

“Oh, yes. This is a wonderful chance for both of you to learn how things work around here.” Torres crouches down to Dani and sits on top of her thighs while grabbing her head, pinning her down and removing her ability to move. He kisses her in the same forceful way that he had with Malcolm. Dani writhes as much as the chains will allow, but she’s forced to stay in the kiss until Torres lets go. When he does, his hands slide over the smooth satin she’s wearing, fondling her breasts and falling down to the gap between her thighs. Leaning into Dani’s ear, Torres whispers to her.

“Did you like that, _doce_? I want you to think about this night the next time you might want to touch me without my say so. Do it again, and I’ll make you watch when I take him for my own.”

Threat delivered, Torres pushes back to his feet and opens the door. Roberto is waiting, as always. 

“Take _doce_ back downstairs, Roberto.”

“NO. BRIGHT!” Dani shouts. The slap from Torres is swift.

“His name is _tres_. It seems like you two can’t seem to remember the rules very well. You’ll learn in time.”

Roberto unlocks Dani’s cuffs, and her arms fall to the floor like dead weights after being raised for so long. Her unresponsive limbs can’t resist as Roberto pulls her to her feet and drags her out of the room. Torres calls out after her, “You’ll be next my dear, I can’t wait to take you both.”

Dani’s shouts echo down the hallway, eventually fading to nothing as she’s led back downstairs. Malcolm’s heavy-lidded eyes focus on Torres one last time as he exits the room while closing the door behind him, leaving Malcolm naked, chained and alone.

“Sweet dreams, _tres_.”

*****************************

**JT**

The sticky heat that greets JT as he leaves the airport in Fort Meyers isn’t the same heat he was used to in Afghanistan. Grateful that he remembered to pack cotton shirts for the trip, he scans the arrivals area for Captain Friedman, his contact with the Sanibel PD who Gil had arranged to meet with. He finds the Captain to the far right of the area, leaning against his car, which thanks to people’s aversion to cops comes with his own exclusion zone. The police cruiser has been given priority parking.

JT walks over to the moustached man and introduces himself. “Captain Friedman, I’m Detective JT Tarmel with the NYPD. You’re expecting me.”

“Detective, you’re right on time. Welcome to Florida.” Formalities concluded, Friedman turns to reach the drivers side door of the cruiser and JT grabs the passenger side door, tossing his duffel in the backseat.

JT waits until they’ve cleared the airport parking maze before he starts asking for intel.

“Is there any news on the plane or the house?” JT asks.

“Not since I sent your Lieutenant the last update. We’ve got eyes on the airport and there’s been no activity in the hangar. Your team’s still here. Probably,” Friedman replies.

“Alright, so what’s the plan?”

Friedman scoffs. “The plan? My plan, Detective Tarmel, is to deliver you to the station and then go home to my family. What you do tonight isn’t my problem.”

JT checks his watch and looks at the time: it’s almost 8 o’clock. “Can you fill me in on what you’ve got set up at the airport?”

“We’ve got a plain clothes unit watching the hangar; they’ll call us if there’s any movement,” Friedman explains. “There’s really nothing else to do until the morning. We’re meeting back here at 4am to map out the game plan for the group’s arrival.”

JT knows what the Captain is saying sounds reasonable, yet a part of him is annoyed that the Captain wants to check out and head home. He can’t rest until he’s got them back, so nobody else should.

“Okay, thanks.” The rest of the car ride is spent in silence, and when they arrive, JT is shown to a small desk with a stack of photos and documents relating to their person of interest. After saying good night to the Captain, JT settles in and starts poring through the files, keen for something to occupy his mind so it can’t run through the rolodex of horrible things that could be happening to his friends. It wastes a couple of hours before he starts fighting a battle with his eyelids to stay open.

Sending a quick message to Tally that he arrived safely as well as checking in with Gil, JT scopes out the small police station and manages to find a chair not made from plastic to try and rest in. He manages a fitful sleep until flashes of his friends crying out for him wake him up. It’s two o’clock. Certain sleep will evade him tonight, JT leaves the police station and wanders around the streets, killing the hours until the police station will wake again to carry out a rescue mission.

4 o’clock arrives and Captain Friedman is back with three other officers. The quartet stands in a close square while Friedman holds a folder in between all of them to view.

“We’ve obtained permission from the airport to enter the grounds at 5am and set up in an adjacent hangar, here. The plain clothes unit will remain in place to relay any intel on what they can see when the convoy shows up. The plan is to wait until we have visual on the kidnapped targets and prevent their entry to the plane. Detective Tarmel, did you want to take point on this one?” 

JT nods in assent. Their position of cover is about 300 feet from the Guatemalan government’s plane, an easy distance to cover quickly once Bright and Powell arrive.

“Once we get to the airport, I’ll do a quick recon of the area and figure out an advance plan. What’s the status on vehicles? How are we going to escort Torres and any other parties to the station once they’ve been arrested?”

Friedman’s mouth turns down in a frown. “Unfortunately, we won’t be detaining anyone from the Guatemalan contingent. While we can stop your friends before they get on the plane, diplomatic immunity prevents us from detaining any of them. They’ll be free to leave once we’re finished with them.”

“You’re kidding,” JT fumes. “They’ve bought _people_ and there’s nothing you can do?!”

“Welcome to the world of diplomacy. It happens down here more than you would think.” Friedman at least sounds apologetic.

“God, I hate the world sometimes. Alright. Are we ready to roll out?”

“Yep- Yeah- Let’s do it,” chime in the officers.

“All right. Point me towards your chariot.” JT sweeps an arm towards the door in invitation, and the group splits up into a cruiser and a bus. The convoy of police vehicles slips quietly though the sleepy roads of Fort Meyers, masking the frenetic energy JT is trying to contain.

He is maybe an hour away from saving his friends from a fate he wouldn’t wish on anyone. Powell and Bright wouldn’t survive very long in a situation where they’re not supposed to fight back, and knowing them, they would fight tooth and nail with their dying breath.

JT hopes it won’t come to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to the superhuman sonshineandshowers for beta'ing this chapter. If you would like to hang out with some awesome artists please join me on the [Prodigal Whump](https://discord.gg/GXteMGT) and [PSon Trash](https://discord.gg/p3K3twh) (18+) servers on Discord!


	13. Chapter 13

There’s no place more perilous for Malcolm than to be left alone with his thoughts.

Malcolm doesn't know how long he’s been on his own since their session with Torres. After Dani had been taken out of the room, Malcolm had passed in and out of consciousness before the familiar creep of his nightmares began to return. The Girl in the Box had been replaced as the main feature for the night's viewing; tonight top billing belonged to Torres. Phantom hands stroked his face, lips dropped teasing kisses and promises of what was to come for Dani in the future. 

Panic starts to build in his chest at every advance. Malcolm thrashes against his unforgiving metallic restraints until he pulls himself back into consciousness with an almighty scream. It takes him a minute to remember where he is and why everything hurts. Every nerve in his body fires off rapidly with exhaustion, and the inability to move his aching limbs makes him feel like the skin enclosing his body is ready to burst. The soft glow of light emanating from the wall sconces hasn't changed from when he had first entered the room. Time is nothing but a theoretical concept for him until he can leave.

When the door opens, Malcolm's heart rate skyrockets. He remembers Torres had warned he might visit during the night, and he knows his overstimulated body can't take much more. To his relief, it's Roberto, dressed in bright flamingo boxers and a red singlet. His squinting at the soft lighting means Malcolm has woken him up. Malcolm swallows what little pride he has left and starts apologising before the man can hurt him.

“I'm sorry, I have nightmares, I won't do it again,” he whispers.

Roberto manages to get a sentence out around a yawn. “You better not wake me again, or I'll put that gag back on, you got me?” 

“Yes, got it. Sorry.” 

Roberto doesn't reply, he merely shuffles back to the corridor, closing the door behind him. Malcolm can't risk falling asleep again, so he recites King Lear to keep himself awake. He finds himself shivering even though the Florida heat has kept the room warm overnight, and he figures the meds he’d taken the day before must be wearing off. He’ll need more soon. The musical cadence of Shakespeare keeps him company until the door creaks open one last time.

His new best friend, Roberto, walks in with a folded pile of clothes clutched in both hands.

“Morning, sunshine, sleep well?”

Malcolm appreciates the accidental irony in his greeting, and his memory flashes for a moment to the green and gold parakeet waiting for him at home. He wonders if anyone has stopped in to top up her feeder.

A slap across his face pulls him out of his reverie. The clothes are thrown roughly at his naked body, haphazardly landing on both him and the bed. Malcolm recognises that they’re the black set he wore when they’d left New York.

“It’s moving day for you, let’s go.” Roberto unlocks the cuffs that have kept him captive throughout the night, and Malcolm is grateful for the pins and needles in his arms as the circulation returns when he lowers them to his chest.

“Get dressed, the car leaves in five.”

“What about Da- _ doce _ ? And my medications?” asks Malcolm. He really doesn’t want to miss another dose. Some pills were better than none.

“Don’t worry, lover boy, she’s getting ready downstairs. I don’t know anything about any meds. Hurry up.” Roberto leaves the door open and stands in the hallway, expectant. Malcom dresses as quickly as his sore muscles will allow and exits into the hallway. He’d light a match behind him if he could; he never wants to step foot in that room again.

The night is ending outside, predawn turning the once invisible trees into dark towers against an inky blue sky. Waiting at the bottom of the stairs is Dani and the two girls they had met the day before. Malcolm practically falls into her arms from exhaustion. She’s changed back into the singlet and shorts from yesterday, and her face looks drawn and puffy. The relief in her face when they embrace is evident.

“Hey, you. Thought I wasn’t going to see you again,” whispers Dani.

“No such luck, you’re stuck with me,” Malcolm whispers back.

Roberto breaks the couple apart, pushing Malcolm back into the other security staff’s waiting arms. The hold is vice-like and Malcolm can’t break free.

“All right, you two, that’s enough.” He grabs Dani’s wrist and throws a cuff on it.

“Wait, no!” cries Dani. She tussles with the guard for all of a second before he grabs her other wrist and snaps the cuff into place. Roberto then turns to Malcolm and does the same to him. Malcolm puts up no fight as the feeling in his arms hasn’t returned to normal yet.

“Boss doesn’t trust you after yesterday, so you keep those on while we travel. Let’s move.”

The group are shepherded towards the front door where a minivan waits. Dani and Malcolm are made to get in first, the two girls effectively blocking any direct exit for an escape they may have planned while the car was moving. Malcolm’s too tired to look for escape plans right now anyway. As the car rolls down the cobbled driveway, Malcolm rests his head on Dani’s shoulder and closes his eyes. His silver tongue hasn’t saved them, and his mind hasn’t found an escape yet, but sitting next to Dani dulls the memory of last night.

Breathing in Dani’s scent and feeling her curls brush his face, he finally feels able to rest. 

**JT**

The comms line in JT’s ear crackles to life for the first time since the team had taken up their holding positions in the adjoining hangar.

“Captain, you’ve got movement headed your way. One large white Mercedes SUV, one black Volkswagen minivan. No visual confirmation of our POIs or our suspect yet. Estimate they’ll be in the hanger in thirty seconds.”

JT’s heart rate kicks up a notch. The group had managed to scout the hangar next door before the pilot and crew had arrived for their pre-flight checks. The four officers had been ensconced in the empty hangar for the last thirty minutes, waiting for word from their recon team outside. He has to hope that the officers will come through for him when the moment comes. JT knows he will take point on any recovery attempt, but situations like these are unpredictable. A cocky or gun-shy officer could jeopardise the whole operation, but JT isn’t exactly flush with choices right now.

Four sets of eyes strain in the early morning light to track the shape of two vehicles, winding their way through the buildings at the airport before stopping behind the plane adjacent to them. The minivan’s driver opens the sliding door and reaches a hand in to help the passengers out of the vehicle. JT holds his breath and watches two young, blonde women climb out of the van and embark onto the plane.

It's not them.

The ground falls away at his feet. His lead was wrong.

JT feels his breathing hitch and he wonders how he’s gonna break the news to Gil. Turning away from the window, he attempts to centre himself before looking back at the van. Chances are these girls need help, and that’s what he’s here for. Team rescue or not. Three faces look at him expectantly for orders.

Uncomfortable with giving pep talks to complete strangers, all JT can think to do is remind the team of the plan. “Remember, we’re waiting until both cars are empty before we run over there. I don’t want anyone getting hurt by someone we can’t see.”

The officers turn their attention back to the group and find the doors of the SUV are opening. Two tall and hulking men exit the car and walk over to the side of the minivan where the women had appeared from. An arm goes into the van and comes back out dragging the elbow of an unwilling occupant. There’s a bit of back and forth, and ultimately a man in handcuffs is dragged out onto the tarmac and thrown onto the asphalt. A swift punch to the head keeps him there. JT can’t get a good look at him while he’s on the floor, as his black outfit blends in with the tarmac.

The second man reaches into the van and finds himself in the same struggle with another occupant in the car. It’s a few moments before she is dragged out too, kicking and shouting at everyone.

JT has no problem recognising the tangle of black curls and fighting stance of his partner of four years. It’s Dani. 

JT speaks quickly to the assembled rescue team. “Those two they just dragged out of the car, that’s my team. Wait until we’ve confirmed all occupants are out of the vehicle, then when I give the word, head round the back of the plane. Got it?”

Three heads bob in unison.

JT gives it another minute and the last occupant exits the SUV. Julio Torres walks towards Powell and Bright as they’re held by the guards and crouches down to Bright on the asphalt, pulling his face into JT’s view. A stubby finger slowly drags across Bright’s cheek, and JT decides this distraction is his moment to move.

“Alright, let’s go.”

The three officers fall in behind JT as he closes the gap towards his friends, training his gun on Julio Torres the whole way.

“NYPD! EVERYBODY FREEZE!!” shouts JT. Hands full with Bright and Powell, the guards don’t have time to reach any weapons before the officers have their guns trained on them. Each guard raises their hands in surrender and JT risks a look at his friends. Powell looks tired but well, relatively speaking. The only colours in Bright's face are the grazes on his cheeks. He looks like he hasn't slept in days.

Both are wearing identical expressions of shock.

“JT?! What are you doing here?” asks Powell.

JT smiles for the first time in days. “You didn’t think we’d given up on you, did you?” 

“Ah, excuse me,” Torres interrupts. “Can I ask what this has to do with the NYPD? You hardly have jurisdiction here, and this is a private matter between me and my staff.” He walks smoothly towards JT as he talks, buttoning his jacket with the confidence of someone who has used this line before and always gets what he wants.

Damn diplomats.

JT takes a beat to keep his anger in check and points a finger at his friends. “These are officers of the NYPD, did you know that?”

“Why no, I did not.” Surprise flashes upon Torres’ face, but years of experience tell JT that it isn’t genuine. This guy’s lying through his teeth. Torres goes all-in and tries to sell the lie. “These two only came into my employ recently, and my staffing coordinator hasn’t travelled with me today. There must be some mistake.”

Dani snorts. “That’s bull and you know it. Where are the keys to these things?” she asks, waving her hands in front of her.

One of the guards reaches into his pockets and removes the cuffs from both Dani and Bright. Dani crouches down to Bright and helps him up with the care and attention of more than just a coworker. Bright is slow to move and holds onto Dani for dear life. They walk towards JT until they are standing behind him.

Safe.

JT calls out towards the plane.

“If there is anyone else unhappy about their employment right now, you’re welcome to join us.”

It takes a moment before a blonde head pokes out of the plane’s doorway, her eyes scanning the scene below for the source of the words, trying to figure out if the offer is real. The woman looks at Dani, who nods slightly; it’s all the confirmation she needs. Within seconds, the women are disembarking the plane and rushing towards the safety of the police officers.

JT returns his gaze to Torres. If Torres is upset about the recent turn of events, he’s hiding it well.

“While I would like to work out the particulars of this situation, I  _ do  _ have a work schedule to keep. I trust that we’re done here, officer?”

JT bristles at the smug tone of the diplomat. “I think you’ll find Captain Freidman has a few words for you. I’m gonna take my friends home.” JT starts to back away from the assembled group, maintaining eye contact so they don’t get rushed by the stocky guards. As JT cedes the foreground, the three Sanibel officers step up in a line, walling off the abductees from their captor for good. When they reach the back of the plane, JT turns around and walks towards the cars parked at the rear of their stakeout hangar. Once the group is safely out of sight, JT wraps Bright and Powell in a tight bear hug. Relief hits the trio in a crushing wave, and there’s sobs and tears mixed in with smiles.

JT pulls apart from their embrace and really  _ looks _ at his rescued teammates. Dani seems to be holding up pretty well other than a few small marks on her cheekbone, but Bright looks much worse for wear. He has identical bruises on his cheekbone but looks dead on his feet. The bags under his eyes are a deep shade of purple, his usual manic blue eyes look cloudy and unfocussed. Bright hasn’t let go of Dani yet.

JT clears his throat. “You guys all right? We thought we’d lost you.”

“We thought we were gone, too,” Dani replies. “How did you find us?”

JT grins. “Good old-fashioned leg work and a stroke of luck back at the club. I saw the car you left in; we followed it up and tracked the plane here.”

“Thank you, JT,” Bright whispers. “You’ve saved us from something horrible. Saved all of us.” The kid looks ready to pass out.

“Any time, man. Now, I think you need to make some calls.” JT hands over his unlocked phone to the couple, Gil’s number already queued up. It doesn’t even get through the first ring before Gil picks up. 

“JT? What’s happened?” The undercurrent of fear in Gil’s voice is palpable.

“Gil, it’s us,” Dani blurts.

“Powell? Both of you?!” Gil’s voice rises with every word.

Bright leans in to the speaker to reassure Gil . “I’m here, Gil. JT saved the day.”

There’s a big exhale of air on the line. “I’ve never been so happy to hear your voices. Are you okay?”

Dani glances at Bright before answering for both of them. “We’re fine enough. We can’t wait to come home.”

“Let me start making calls, and I’ll have the boarding passes sent to JT’s phone. Ah, kid. So good to hear your voice. Is JT there?”

JT pulls the phone off speaker and places it on his ear, walking away from Bright and Powell for a second. “Yeah, boss.”

“How are they really? Bright doesn’t sound so good.” Gil sounds worried, no doubt a lifetime of listening to Bright had keyed him in to how he sounds when he isn’t one hundred percent. Or fifty.

“The kid looks like you’d knock him down with a feather, but Dani’s got him. Look, I gotta check in with Friedman, see what they need from us. I should be able to tell you in an hour when we can head home.” 

“Sounds good, JT. Great work. Speak soon.” The call ends and JT turns back to find Malcolm on his knees retching up the meagre contents of his stomach, and Dani rubbing his back, reassuring him that everything is okay.

Dani looks up, apologetic. “He’s been off his meds for days and last night was really rough.”

“It’s okay, you’ve been through a helluva thing,” JT reassures her. “I gotta check in with the Captain, then we can head back to the station, maybe a doctor yeah?”

Dani manages a small smile. “Thanks, JT.”

It’s about fifteen minutes later when the ragtag group of detectives, officers and former ‘employees’ pull out of the airport grounds headed towards freedom. JT swings a lift in the bus with Bright, Dani and the other victims. The immediate mood is sombre, the girls (Meghan and Lauren, when they finally reveal their names) are still processing how much of their lives they have lost to the whims of a powerful and untouchable man (legally speaking). That changes when JT pulls out his phone and asks the women if they have any family they want to call. Tears of pain turn into tears of joy as they reconnect with mothers and fathers who had given up hope of their daughters being found alive.

Throughout the emotional cell phone reunions, Dani and Bright stay curled together, seemingly unaware of the emotions swirling around them. Bright still looks like death warmed up, but his face is relaxed and his breathing calm and deep. Tired eyes had closed against the waking Florida sun, and his head lolls gently on Dani’s shoulder as the bus sways with the bumps in the road.

Something happened between them, alright. JT is certain. He won’t push them to find out though. The two of them look cute together, and he can have fun with this when they get back. He just needs to deliver them safely home first.

**THREE DAYS LATER**

“ _ I feel better, better, better than before _

_ I feel better, better, now I’m not down anymore..” _

Malcom jolts awake at the sudden noise, startled by the intrusion on a rare dreamless sleep cycle. It is his first morning waking up in his loft since he had been taken, and after a week of silent rooms and hospital beds, the upbeat Gotye anthem programmed to start his day is jarring to say the least. Malcolm unclips the restraints on his bed and walks over to the music unit to turn it off quickly, the triumphant trumpets not quite in sync with his mood.

He’d spent two days in hospital under observation to monitor the withdrawal effects of going off his meds. Dani hadn’t visited the entire time he was there, they hadn’t seen each other since their goodbye at the airport when Malcolm had an ambulance whisk him off to the hospital. Malcolm only remembered bits and pieces of that day, and for the life of him he can’t remember what he said to her as they were separated. Antsy to see her again, his discharge home was only granted once the doctors were sure he could keep some food and water down without anti-nausea drugs being needed.

Not that he’s eaten anything yet. That is a battle for later today. Meds first, then food. Or yoga?

After checking his phone for the hundredth time to find no new messages from Dani Malcolm decides he should try and lift his spirits with some yoga. He pulls out the thin mat from his blanket box and starts with some warm-up exercises to ease his stiff muscles into it. His sore muscles from the night with Torres have mostly recovered, but there is still some residual tightness there. He could work on that today.

Moving into dolphin pose, the door buzzer springs to life. Mother is really desperate to see him today, as if sticking to him like glue at the hospital hadn’t been enough for the both of them. He’d changed the locks on the door again, and his mother would likely be upset at having to use the doorbell. Taking his sweet time walking over to the intercom, Malcolm hopes his mother might give up, that she might think he is still sleeping. The buzzing of the intercom a second time puts those hopes to bed, and Malcolm takes a resigned breath before pushing down on the speaker button.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit early for visits, mother?”

“Sorry to disappoint, Bright, it’s not your mom.” It’s Dani.

Malcolm tries to hide his shock. “Oh, Dani, hi. Come on up.” He presses the button to unlock the door and does a panicked little jig as he surveys the state of his loft. The door opens as Malcolm frantically throws the quilt cover towards the headboard, and then just like that, Dani is standing in his loft.

It’s early in the day, but Malcolm’s breath catches in his throat: she looks stunning. She’s not wearing anything different today; he’s seen the leather jacket, black pants and tank top before. And yet he can’t take his eyes off her. Dani fidgets with the zip on her jacket. Malcolm can sense she wants to talk about something but doesn’t know how to start. He breaks the ice with a neutral topic.

“So……. did you manage to get back into the precinct yesterday?”

Dani shakes her head. “Gil turned me round pretty quick, mandated leave and all that. He did tell me that they’ve tracked De Silva to a property in New Jersey. They’re getting some units out there today, so he might be in custody soon.” 

“Oh, that’s great. Great.”

Case update over, silence settles in the loft. Tension hangs in the air like a thick blanket of fog as both of them struggle to find the words that need to come but won’t. Malcolm bites the bullet and states the obvious. 

“I missed you at the hospital.” 

“Oh, yeah, I’m sorry about that.” Dani crinkles her nose as she speaks. “I did come by but you were sleeping, and your mom was there. I didn’t want to intrude.” 

“You wouldn’t have been intruding, I would have loved to see you.” 

“Are you sure about that?” Dani looks uncomfortable. 

Malcolm is utterly confused. “What do you mean, am I sure?” 

Dani shoots him a look of annoyance. “A man chained you to a bed and assaulted you, because of something  _ I _ did. I saw the pain in your eyes while he was touching you in that room. You had to endure so much for me. I don’t know how you can look at me and not remember what he did to you after that.  _ I  _ can’t.” 

“Dani, what we have is so much more than what happened in that room. Yes, Torres abused my body for a night, and I will carry those memories with me for the rest of my life. But I don’t blame you for what happened.” 

“Bright, he never would have touched you if it weren’t for me.” 

“That’s crap, and you know it.” Bright insists. “We both know what should have happened in that room, your knee saved us from far worse things that Torres was planning. There is no mistaking what kind of man he is. I would go through it again to spare you from him. Every time.”

“I know you would, Bright.” Dani pauses for a moment before continuing. “But I think it’s not the best timing to be starting anything between us right now.”

Malcolm’s heart rate shoots upwards as Dani uses the word he was hoping to hear. She’s not using it in the context he was hoping for, though. His mouth turns to cotton but he manages to squeak out a reply. “Us?”

Dani plunges ahead, the dam of practiced words broken and pouring out of her before Malcolm can stop them. “Yeah, I mean, we were both drugged for a while, so it’s not like how normal couples would start out. And I can’t forgive myself for the awful things Torres did to you because of me, so I completely understand if it changes how you feel about us. You might feel differently, you know, now you’ve been home for a few days.”

She’s quitting before they’ve even started, walling herself off so she won’t have to get hurt.

That isn’t something Malcolm can abide by. They finally admitted their feelings and she wants to take them back. He doesn’t want to go back to the way things were; he can’t carry this longing inside him every day. He walks over to Dani and takes her hands off the zipper, holding them in his. Dani’s head is tilted towards the floor, so he talks to her crown of curls instead.

“Dani, I’ve wanted to be with you for a while now, long before this last week happened. What we went through doesn’t change that. ”

Dani keeps her eyes focused on the ground, unconvinced. “You  _ can’t _ forget what he did to you.”

“That one night wasn’t the only thing that happened in the last week. I seem to remember two very different activities that I wouldn’t mind repeating in the near future.” Malcolm moves a hand to Dani’s waist. Her breath catches at the contact and she finally looks up. Malcolm takes a chance and waggles his eyebrows.

Dani cocks her head to the side, smirking. “Yeah? And what would they be? The part where you had to walk around shirtless in a tuxedo for a while? ‘Cos I thought that was kinda fun to look at.”

Malcolm pulls in a little tighter and their hips gently touch as he reaches up to Dani’s face, resting his cheek on hers and breathing in her ear. “I’ll wear even less than that if you want me to. Say the word.”

There’s a slight moan from Dani that Malcolm only takes as a good sign, and her body softens for a moment before she pulls away.

“Wait. It’s seven in the morning. You wanna do this now?”

Malcolm looks at her in surprise. “Uh, yes?”

Dani shakes her head. “It’s 7am and I haven’t had coffee yet.”

Malcolm isn’t dissuaded so easily. “I have a French press; I’ll make you some. It’s the one type of food I have.”

Dani squints as she asks, “You know coffee isn’t a food group, right?”

“Sure it is. And I’ve got plenty. We can stay right here.” Malcolm decides to take his shot before Dani comes up with another excuse. Heart hammering and ears roaring, he leans in for a kiss, hoping that Dani comes back to him. There’s a moment where Dani tenses, and Malcolm freezes ever so slightly, preparing for rejection from the woman he’s in love with.

To his surprise, she meets his lips and her hands land on his body, roaming before they find places to rest. One on his ass, the other on his rib cage. Blood rushes to his cock and he can feel it swell under the thin confines of his track pants. They kiss deeply for a minute before pulling apart, gasping for air.

Dani notices the bulge growing in Malcolm’s pants and reaches down to stroke it over his clothes. The pressure sends shivers up Malcolm’s spine, and his knees buckle ever so slightly.

“God, I need you Dani. Please,” Malcolm begs, the longing in his voice unmistakable.

Dani kisses Malcolm again with more fervour, and it becomes clear that whatever this is won’t be ending in the foyer of his loft this morning.

Pulling apart a final time, Dani tips her head towards the bed and says in surrender, “Your coffee better be good, Bright.”

Malcolm flashes a smile, takes her hand and walks towards the riser where his bed is. “The best, Dani, it’s the best.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for this particular story! Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me. This is the second fic I started to write and I have learned a lot along the way. Thanks to ProcrastinatingSab, tess_genor, Ponderosa, somerainmustfall, and zoejoy24 for all your ideas and support on this journey, as well as the rest of the Trash and Whump server peeps for keeping me company while this thing got written. 
> 
> Hugest of thanks to the superhuman [sonshineandshowers](/users/sonshineandshowers) for beta'ing this work, and teaching me so much about writing. If you would like to hang out with some awesome artists please join me on the [Prodigal Whump](https://discord.gg/GXteMGT) and [PSon Trash](https://discord.gg/p3K3twh) (18+) servers on Discord!


End file.
